Karmesinrot Rache
by Siraluin
Summary: A new assassination team arrives in Tokyo, their handler plotting a deadly end game. Weiß finds allies in their enemies when Eszet's failures in the past come back to hunt down both Kritiker and Eszet. Weiß x Schwarz x OC team. Kapitel AU. REPOST.
1. Mission 00 Prologue

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 00 Prologue

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 07-10-2005

Disclaimers: Weiß Kreuz is owned by Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiß.

* * *

Pain flared through her bones each time she placed her bare foot on the sharp rocks of the mountains bordering her prison. She ran, ragged breaths bouncing in her lungs. She chose a moonless night to escape. The thick clouds aided her attempt by blocking what little starlight. Low branches whipped above her head, into the faces of her pursers. One thought in German, the language drilled into her mind until it replaced her native tongue, drove her on this frightened flight across stone, "I will not go back!"

Her faceless trackers were led by one formidable man. Masai Kanaca, leader of the Orakel faction, led the recovery unit to retrieve the most talented seer born to the blue planet in the last two centuries. Eszet would not take her escape lightly. The knowledge of the punishment awaiting her return was all the more reason for the child, a rail-thin girl no older than fourteen years old, to succeed in evading her hunters.

Rocky mountains ended two hundred meters ahead. Then the stone range would drop into a steep ravine. The bottom was cloaked in darkness, hiding a snaking river lined by grassy plains. Violent barking foretold the dogs were closing in. They caught up to her dirty, cracked heels. The men knew the geography as well as she did after living so close to the mountains. If she made it to the ravine, the river would take her scent away and possibly her dead body.

"Death is better!" she cried silently. She flung her aching body over the edge and waited for the ravine's waters to welcome her. Everything after that was wrapped in blessed darkness. When she opened stinging gray eyes, the current had deposited her on the sandy banks of a desert. The varied geography of the country would put Eszet's men in a fury after a day of tracking her.

She rested on her back until the sun dipped well below the horizon. Invisible chains weighed her burning limbs. Exhaustion added an extra blanket. But her mind was sharp, reaching for knowledge. Short lashes lowered over her sensitive eyes to guard against the sun's fading glare. She felt the water's drift brush against her body, taking parts of her soul away. When she had the energy to move, she stemmed off hunger by eating the leafy plants near the bank's edge, cringing at its slimy texture. Memories of her family were as bitter as her dinner. Before she pulled herself onto her feet and staggered on, going south through the desert, she filled her belly with water.

A week's trek through the desert tanned her beyond recognition. Her skin peeled in painful sheets despite her efforts to travel only at night. The girl licked dry lips with a dry tongue and tasted sand. Every pore of her body was mucked with it. She muttered to herself deliriously, just to hear her voice. Images swept against her skin, sinking into her mind. Visions mixed with memories and lies surfaced.

She'd been in Greece, Germany, and Russia. All those countries were part of Eszet's kingdom. They were countries she wouldn't ever feel safe in. Not with men like Kanaca alive. Or even people like her. People who saw the future and sense other minds should not exist. They were monsters and witches. Her family could no longer afford their lifestyle when the invaders monopolized the country's economics. Germany's soldiers marched in to take everyone's livelihood. Her country suffered damages lasting decades after the invasion. Inflation soared when leader after leader tried to take hold of the bank's money. People rioted and stole when food ran out. The famines wiped out thousands of lives. When their world fell apart, people became desperate.

"We can pay you for her." Kanaca offered solemnly inside her home.

Her eyes flew open to drown in the bright white sunlight. Violent waves of disgust rolled in the back of her throat. Poverty and inflation at the time had driven the family into making the decision. There was no other way to feed a family of seven. Kanaca's offer bit harder than an attempt to steal her. She swore on the day she left Greece, she would not cry for a family who willingly let her go.

She was transported to Germany on a crude freight train, packed beside Kanaca amidst many strangers like a piece of undesirable cargo. Rosenkreuz was the destination for the youngster with an uncanny Sight and a hidden talent as a Reader. She spent eight years inside the impenetrable walls of Rosenkreuz, sleeping on a pallet on the ground or in a luxurious bed beside one instructor or another. Eight years eating food with the taste like licking the streets of slums. After the initial conditioning and propaganda, Kanaca took her to the depths of Russia where Orakel thrived. A total of twelve years fighting the unbending will of Eszet resulted before she took her chances with the pagan gods out there. Those who enter Hell's mouth would change forevermore. She would change, but into what was the question.

"Monsters and witches," she muttered with a dry, sand-caked mouth. The girl walked on a prayer, following desperate hope. "Monsters—" she croaked brokenly, falling forward into cold sand. She rolled onto her back, eyes wide and pupils the size of pinpricks. A vision struck head-on until all other senses were blocked out. She tasted salt water from a cold ocean. Her body unconsciously reached for it, seeking moisture. A giant red witch waved her burning torch over her crowned head led slaves into her maw. In her other hand, she carried her archaic spell book tucked against her side. She stood erect on grand foundation. Letters were inscribed in the stone: **ELLIS ISLAND**. The witch inspired frightened awe in all those who laid eyes on her. "— and witches . . ."

When she awoke to the blistering heat of midday, she was determined to find the giant effigy in her vision. She vowed to tear apart the foundation of Eszet's kingdom like the monster they transformed her to be.


	2. Mission 01 Anfunft- Arrival

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 01 Ankunft - Arrival (Drowning In Blood)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 11-04-01

* * *

 **CASE: CVM11D04Y2001KR**

 **TEAM: KARMESINROT RACHE**

 **STATUS: INACTIVE. RELOCATION IN PROGRESS**

 **DESTINATION: TOKYO, JAPAN**

 **COMMANDERS: MANTICORE, MINOTAUR, GRIFFIN, TYPHON**

Chimera's omniscient eyes closed against the bright screen. The impersonal report from the Cyclops network was unsatisfying. Her mind touched the subordinates below her, tasting their thoughts; the flavors of their varying loyalties. She sensed the deaths of their organization's enemies. Karmesinrot Rache cleared their paths with finesse and speed in Kobe to destroy Blue Sun yakuza lords. The inhuman smile grew. Chimera would annex Tokyo into her territory. Kamresinrot Rache's relocation was the next step for Chimera's conquests. She expected to meet Eszet's and Kritiker's teams head on. Chimera curled her fingers, anticipating holding all their game pieces in her hands.

* * *

The smart people of Tokyo were in bed when 2 AM rolled around. The same people would be dreaming happily, oblivious to the worries they would face when they woke up the next morning. Weiß . . . never considered themselves smart.

Instead, the four were running for their lives down the increasingly busy halls as a deafening alarm sounded overhead. They were running away from what seemed like a whole battalion of military soldiers. Typical office buildings were not supposed to have so much damn security! Especially when said security was armed to the teeth!

"Bombay, I thought you said you took care of it!" Yohji snapped over his shoulder to Omi through clenched teeth. His hate for the target grew with each hurried step he took under the alarm's overbearing voice. Kato Takeshi succeeded in installing the loudest, most ear-piercing alarm in the universe along with selling millions of yen worth of experimental narcotics under a smokescreen created by his company. The new drug _Slave_ had swept through the country, killing fifty six from overdoses. Before the night was over, Yohji swore to send the man to Hell just for the damn alarm if not the drugs.

"I thought I did!" Omi replied loudly. "There must have been a hidden alarm I overlooked!"

Ken led the others, a vanguard for the assassins on their dark task. He shouted a warning when he spotted guards gathering at the next intersection. Weiß split up, searching for cover. Omi fired an arrow into the crowd, creating a chance for the team's leader. Aya swept down the hallway with his steadied katana. The bodies piled around him as his katana slashed through their enemies. Omi continued to snipe targets behind his teammate. Aya moved on without giving the massacre a second glance. "Let's go," Aya ordered them towards the office of the company's president.

"Door number three is a winner," Yohji kidded grimly, drawing a wire from his garrote in anticipation. "Should we knock?" Yohji asked just before Aya kicked open the door. "I guess not."

Omi jumped into the office and rolled sideways, coming up with his crossbow pointed at the empty desk. "Clear!" Omi scanned the immediate area.

"Where is he?" Ken asked. Omi didn't respond. He was searching the shadows for their man. Shouts and gunfire from the halls sent Weiß diving for cover into the room. Yohji hugged the back of the heavy oak desk, cursing in his head. The shots slowed, becoming short bursts instead of one long stream. He chanced a look towards his younger teammates. Ken was scowling through the doorway. "Damn! I see him!" Ken cursed at his target's retreating footsteps. "He's getting away!" Ken's eyes widened at the nasty gift rolling towards them in the light of the halls. "Grenade!"

The group flew out into the adjacent stairwell just as the hand grenade went off in the office. They were thrown off their feet when the building rocked with the explosion, causing support beams to twist with pitched screeches. Weiß rolled down the metal stairs as the fire raged above them, knocking plaster and electrical lighting from the ceilings.

"Today is definitely not a good day," Yohji groaned painfully at the upside down world through his broken sunglasses. "Abyssinian?" Yohji could see an inverted Aya getting to his feet, using his long katana as a crutch as he stood. "Siberian? Bombay? Can I get a little help?" His body was not cooperating to right itself.

Omi grimaced at the eldest member. The young boy's face was bleeding from the numerous cuts. "Bombay, please say my face doesn't look like yours," Yohji remarked as Omi and Ken pulled him right side up. "If it does, how am I supposed to meet girls?"

"Balinese, shut up." Ken cracked a tiny smile at Yohji, then winced. A bruise was already blossoming on his right cheek.

"We can still get him," Aya said sharply, his voice raspy but determined. He was leaning heavily on his katana despite the strength in his voice.

Omi hacked the building's security cameras. Their target was escaping to his car in the underground garage. Weiß vaulted landings and stairs, ignoring the possibility of broken bones. The reckless, determined pursuit placed Weiß near the exit of the garage with Kato driving straight towards them.

As the car gained speed, Omi notched a heavy arrow and shot it towards the front of the car. The arrow shattered the front windshield, causing the driver to swerve off course. Aya sprung and landed with a heavy thump on the roof with his naked blade in hand. Crouching low to maintain his balance, he plunged it through the roof above the driver's seat to find its mark. As the car increased its violent swerving, Aya yanked out his sword and expertly sheathed it before jumping off. He hit the cold concrete with his booted feet first and then rolled repeatedly to lessen the impact. From the ground, Aya heard the car smashing into a concrete support beam and explode into a burst of red flames.

Mission completed.

* * *

Reporters buzzed around the raised platform in the distance. Manx blended into the large crowd with ease. The opening of a new water purification plant was an important occasion for Tokyo and the surrounding prefectures. The publicity generated by the plant would support Sasaki's campaign for Head of the Department of Water and Energy in the following year's elections. The man of the hour possessed an impressive voice. "I welcome you to share in this momentous occasion." Sasaki smiled pleasantly for the cameras as a number of bright flashes blinded him. "Water is a valuable resource and necessity for all life. I promise to present to the Japanese people the purest waters to drink and use. With our new purification techniques, Sasaki's waters will taste like they came straight from Heaven."

"From Hell, you mean," Manx said darkly. Servers made rounds through the crowd, passing out bottled water for the ceremonial toast and ribbon cutting.

"Let's drink to our health!" Sasaki said solemnly over the microphone. On cue, the crowd toasted the man on the stage.

Manx walked away, carrying the unopened bottle in her hand as the others in the audience started applauding again. She left the bustle behind, taking the water to Kritiker labs. Many witnessed her departure but only one man took true interest in it. Christopher Merache's mouth thinned at the sight of his own unopened bottle of water clutched in his hands. "To our health," Merache repeated as he watched the surrounding people drink heartily. Sasaki departed the stage, bowing and shaking hands as he moved through the crowd. Merache stayed where he was, waiting for the approaching businessman.

"I am pleased to see you here." Sasaki smiled pleasantly. Their companies had done much business together. His demeanor became more sincere. "Did you like the ceremony?"

"It was very good. Thanks for the water." Merache held up a water bottle. "It was a pleasure to share in your success. My board of directors will meet this week to discuss becoming a distributor for you."

"That's wonderful to hear." Sasaki's smile widened. "I'll be looking forward to your answer!" They spoke briefly, promising to have their staff keep in touch. After Sasaki moved a safe distance away, Merache reached for his cell phone to enter a security code to alert his superiors of the latest developments. Everything was going as planned.

* * *

Back in Tokyo, the infamous flower store was packed to the corners with teenage girls waiting to get a glimpse of their favorite florists. Their voices filled the store and poured out into the streets. The mix of high pitched girlish voices squealing in joy rivaled the shrieking alarm that ruined Weiß's plans. In contrast, the noise only irritated Aya. "Buy something or get out!" Aya shouted. His baritone voice cut through the chatter like a knife. Aya fought the urge to close shop early (making Yohji's day if they did) and began to file the register receipts.

"Aya, your fans are waiting for you to acknowledge them. Don't be so cruel," Yohji teased Aya from behind the register. Yohji laughed good-naturedly at the sight of the girls. His brown eyes were hidden by a new pair of sunglasses since his previous pair met an untimely demise last night.

The girls cheered the return of the youngest employer from a delivery. "Hello," Omi politely greeted the customers, running a hand through tousled brown hair. He immediately rejoined the others at work. Aya had assigned projects to everyone for the day. Omi's assignment was to change the flowers in their window display for the next batch of blooming flowers. Omi struggled to walk through the crowd, precariously balancing a large vase in his arms.

Business was brisk for a Saturday morning. "Thank you, Yohji-san!" The girls gushed at Yohji who wrapped their purchases in pink tissue paper. Ken snickered when the girls continued to crowd around Yohji, hoping for personal attention from the suave man as well. Yohji ignored Ken as he rang up the line of female customers.

"Thank you for shopping at Koneko no Sume Ie," Yohji smiled charmingly as he sent the crowd on their way home.

"I'll be back again tomorrow!" the girls reassured the employees happily before departing.

"I don't doubt it," Aya remarked dryly. "They would live here if they could."

"It's not that bad," Ken replied as he trimmed the dead leaves of the large pile of flowers on the table. "They mean well."

"Just another normal day," Momoe, the elderly woman who owned the flower store, remarked happily from her rocking chair. The cat in her lap purred its agreement and then snuggled against her for an afternoon nap.

* * *

The weather was perfect in Osaka. The doors of a red sports car opened to release a girl with wavy, black hair and stormy azure eyes. She shut the door briskly, glancing up at the sunny, blue skies to mutter, "God, I hate this weather." Nanami waited for her team, adjusting her light jacket despite the warmth of the day to cover up her fair skin. The youngest two in the group stood behind her, gaily deciding their shopping list of snacks. "Let's go." Nanami led them inside with the air of patient chaperone.

Their departure left the driver to watch the car. Jade's sharp violet eyes never stopped scanning the area while a clerk refueled their vehicle before taking it to the automated carwash. After leaving it in the care of the machines to wash away dirt, grease, and blood from their travels, Jade joined the others. A burst of artificially cold air flowed over her hot body when the doors slid open. Jade finger-combed her hair out of her eyes, tossing green dyed streaks away from her face. Jade felt edgy from being crammed in a car. The temptation to remedy the tenseness manifested in the form of cigarette boxes stacked high on the wall. Jade distracted herself from the urge by skimming the local newspaper.

The other three paid and they returned to the highways. This time, Nanami drove while Jade took a power nap. Jade's cell phone rang insistently before the girl could get rested. "What is it now?" Jade snapped irritably, answering the call.

"Chimera calling the Predators' den," a digitized voice said immediately. A small light on the outside of the cell phone turned green, indicating the line was from the secure headquarters. "Karmesinrot Rache," the digitized voice continued, report to your final destination by 2000. Your orders will be waiting for you," Chimera ordered before the line disconnected.

The abruptness of the call caused the two brunettes in the backseat to stir. "What?" Kirei asked in outrage. "That's all? He never gives us anymore than this to go on!" Kirei pouted. Kayla laughed lightly, patting her friend on the arm in consolation.

"Well, I'm excited," she revealed. "I was becoming bored Kobe." Kayla turned towards the window, letting the sun warm her face. The full light never registered in her brown eyes. She was born blind, relying on her other senses to navigate the world.

The day passed into early dusk. Jade and Nanami switched turns again. Jade glanced overhead at the lit signs directing them to Tokyo. Finally, they reached the metropolis. Jade turned off the expressways, muttering the address of their destination. She searched the number plates on the houses on the silent street as the car crawled along. "There you are!" Jade muttered in satisfaction. She woke the others. "We're here." Jade turned off the engine. "I'm going to check the perimeter. Who wants to come with?"

"I do," Kayla said immediately. They were wary of the new neighborhood. "Chimera needs to leave better directions," she remarked of their mysterious benefactor. The duo scouted the neighborhood quickly before approaching the white brick house.

Nanami and Kirei remained near the car, protecting their escape route. Jade and Kayla made their way to the front door. Evening shadows made the surrounding shrubs look sinister. The shingled roof looked blue in the yellow street light. The low, plain black metal gate around the house and adjacent garage marked the property line. Jade walked both sides of the house while Kayla waited by the door. Jade sensed no danger within, signaling the others to come. "It's alright. It's completely safe," Kayla told the others who gave her a quick look of surprise.

"Are you sure?" Kirei asked warily. They had good reason to be wary. After all, they were Karmesinrot Rache.

"Positive," replied Kayla firmly. "Great welcome Chimera has for us," she commented as she tried the locked door. "Look in the mailbox," Kayla directed. Kirei found a common brown manila envelope stuffed inside.

"It's got something hard inside." Kirei pulled out four separate key rings with three keys attached to each ring. Kirei went through the keys until the door opened. An electronic beep indicted a home security system had been active before they arrived. The door opened to reveal a dark empty house with brown boxes stacked in the living room.

"What the hell is this?" Nanami exclaimed at her name written on a stack of boxes near the middle of the room. She tore open the box in a fury. She cursed at the sight of her personal things.

"Is that our stuff?" Kirei asked hastily. All their belonging had been meticulously packed and transported without their consent. A sudden ringing filled the air. Kayla spun around at the sound, grabbing a black cell phone resting on a cardboard box beside her.

"Give me the phone!" Nanami demanded. Kayla meekly handed the phone over. "You bastard!" she raged, thinking it was Chimera. "How dare you touch my things without letting me know?"

An unrecognized voice spoke a pre-recorded message. "Your relocation is complete. Your status is now active." The call ended just as abruptly as it started amid their anger.

Finally, Jade broke the silence. "Screw this," Jade growled dangerously as she sat on a box.

"I bet this house is really nice," Kayla said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Always the optimist," Jade said wryly. She sighed at the sight of the boxes. Of the four, she was the neatest. The desire to start unpacking and cleaning _now_ grew inside her despite the exhaustion.

"Yeah, let's look around." Kirei supported her friend's suggestion. She guided Kayla through the maze of boxes. Despite the inauspicious exterior, the house was fortified well against attack and surveillance. When they reached the garage, the sight of Jade's Lexus and Nanami's Jaguar made the situation worse.

"If they scratched it, I'll kill them." Nanami scrutinized her silver Jaguar.

"There's a room back here," Kirei announced surprised. Kirei breathed in the clean air, impressed by the second room as she walked in. The smaller garage already held two new black Yamaha motorcycles with enough room for their mission car. Four helmets hung on the wall. An image of a viper, falcon, panther, and raven on the right indicated the intended wearer.

"I think this opens the back door," Kayla cradled a square remote in her hands. "Get the car inside the garage."

After securing their mission car, they returned to inspect the house. It didn't take long to reach the kitchen where a bare refrigerator mocked them. "We didn't eat dinner," Kayla said woefully as her stomach noisily declared its emptiness.

"That's one problem easily solvable." Jade smiled at Kayla as she held her stomach. "Do you feel like driving?" she asked Nanami.

* * *

Koneko no Sumi Ie was closing shop when Sakura walked into their store. She was wearing casual clothes and she had a headband on to keep her hair out of her eyes. Aya watered the plants with his back to the door. Sakura called out his name in hopes to get him to acknowledge her.

"Hello," Aya replied in a flat voice. Ken looked at Sakura in pity, broom in hand. Aya was never talkative to begin with and Sakura will have the hardest time with him.

"What do you need, Sakura-san?" Omi asked her, being helpful and polite unlike his elders.

"Nothing really, just wanted to visit you all." Sakura smiled shyly. "I was in the area."

"Ooh!" A young girl's voice shouted in joy from outside. Omi looked up to see two brunettes standing outside their store. The shorter girl was pointing at him through the front window. "Kayla, it's a flower store. Let's go in!" Two young girls entered abruptly. The shorter girl had amber hair styled in a braid, hunter green eyes that currently sparkled in excitement, and a full smile on her face.

Kirei looped her arm through Kayla's tightly as they hovered over each flower, making noises of admiration. Ken watched the careful steps the two girls took around the store. Kayla turned towards him with a gentle look in her mahogany eyes. Ken started when he realized she stared straight at him without truly seeing him. _The girl's blind_ , Ken thought in shock.

"Kirei!" The door opened again with a second jingle. "Goddamn it!" Jade growled. Her black tresses were windblown, giving her a wild exotic look. Green strands fell out of the bun fashioned at the back of head. Dark sunglasses hid the annoyed look in her violet eyes. "What are you doing?" Jade demanded with Nanami behind her.

"These flowers are gorgeous," Kirei said to her irate friend, "I want some for the house." Kirei turned to Nanami near the door, seeking support for her cause. She threw in puppy eyes for a good measure. "Nanami, don't you agree that they're pretty?"

"Buy them," Nanami shrugged, completely indifferent and unimpressed by the beauty of the flowers. "I don't care." Nanami's gaze fell on the Aya off to the side, watching the four of them. An intense feeling of wariness shot through her. Nanami noted how Aya moved as silent and graceful as a predator.

"Kayla, are there any flowers you would like?" Jade asked, eager to move this excursion along.

"If there are amaryllises for sale, I would like some," Kayla answered hopefully. The three were completely engaged in that activity while Omi assisted.

As if Yohji had radar for women over eighteen, the eldest of Weiß returned after taking out the trash. "You're not one of our regulars. Are you new in Tokyo?" Yohji asked the three girls. "Are you interested in a personal tour? This store also offers private tours of the city along with the optional dinner."

Jade's eyes narrowed behind her sunglasses as she stepped in front of Kayla protectively.

She gave him a look of disinterest. "Run along now," Jade said. "We only need one person to help us." Jade dismissed Yohji with a royal wave of her hand.

 _Oh, she's different from the others_ , Yohji was pleased that this girl was a change of pace. He hadn't dealt with a woman who played "hard to get" in a long time. But in the past, they'd always succumbed to the old Kudou charm. "I'm serious. I would love to take you on a tour of the city since you're new here," Yohji tried again.

"We're not new in town." Jade gave him a look. "Appreciate the offer though," Jade added in afterthought, her tone tinted with sarcasm that was not lost on him.

"I was just trying to be a gentleman," Yohji replied smoothly, resting his hand on top of hers for a brief second. "See these flowers here? Are you interested in tulips?" Yohji lifted his hand to point while Jade fought the urge to scrub her skin at the nearest sink.

"Are you three done yet?" Nanami's impatient voice cut through the conversation. "Just buy something and let's go."

"Nanami, go bring the car around. We'll be done by the time you get here," Jade said to her friend in an undertone. Nanami left the store to her bidding.

Kayla sniffed the flowers daintily. "This smells wonderful."

"It does," Kirei agreed wholeheartedly. Kayla and Kirei finally decided on three mixed bouquets.

As Omi wrapped the purchases, Aya took his previous spot by the front window. The redhead stood with his arms crossed, following Nanami's departure closely. The tension in the atmosphere lessened with her absence but until the other three women left the store, Aya remained uneasy

"Aya-san?" Sakura spoke, breaking into his thoughts. "What are you doing?" Sakura asked curiously. The answer to her question arrived in the form of Nanami's Jaguar XK8 double parked in front of their store. The light of sunset washed over the convertible, highlighting the silvery hues across the ice blue body.

Yohji whistled at the sight. Jade ignored him, ushering her group. They passed by a beautiful redhead in a dress suit. "Manx!" Yohji grinned.

"Uh, Sakura, do you mind?" Omi smiled nervously but he didn't want to force his friend to leave.

Sakura recognized the woman who always had the attention of Aya whenever she came in. "I have to go anyway." Sakura smiled just as nervously. "Bye!"

"Bye, Sakura," Omi called before he locked the door behind her. He flipped the sign around so it read CLOSED to the customers.

"Mission." Manx held up a thick file folder. Weiß headed downstairs to the lower level where every mission briefing occurred. The television in the basement turned on and a message from Kritiker's Persia played.

"Weiß, the targets are Ginji Sasaki, head of Sasaki Corporation and his new Sasaki Omizu Purification Plant. Sasaki is selling dangerous chemicals to make the designer drug "Slave" using his purification plant as a warehouse. He has been selling contaminated water to the city, claiming it to be purified spring water when it actually contains "Slave." Find the chemicals and destroy them! Stop Sasaki from fulfilling his plan of poisoning the city. White Hunters in the dark, hunt the tomorrow of the dark beasts!"

Manx clicked off the television. Manx turned to them expectantly and asked the same question after every mission briefing. "Is everyone in?" Weiß nodded. "Here are the files." Manx handed the thick folder to Ken.

Ken flipped through the packet, skimming the personal profile of Sasaki Ginji, his business schedule, and data sheets for Sasaki Omizu, employee files, blueprints for the Sasaki Omizu, and a long list of official and "unofficial" partnerships and sponsors. "Jigen Party's Takatori, Merache Incorporated's Christopher Merache, Kirihara Laboratories," Ken named a few associates of Sasaki Omizu.

Takatori? Aya left his spot by the wall to read over Ken's shoulder. His purple eyes scanned the list until he found the name that made his life a living hell. "We strike when Sasaki is busy at his banquet," Aya declared after going over the Sasaki's schedule.


	3. Mission 01 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 01 Ankunft - Arrival (Drowning In Blood)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 11-04-01

* * *

Karmesinrot Rache received a social call in their absence. A large white envelope with a red KR stamped boldly on the front laid ominously in the middle of their kitchen table.

While Jade gathered the others to living room, Kirei set up the message. They watched a black screen before a red KR symbol appeared. Then the picture changed to show a destroyed image of a man with altered voice.

"Karmesinrot Rache, I have a new mission. Your targets are to eliminate Sasaki Ginji and destroy Sasaki Omizu Purification Plant. Crimson beasts, devour those who commit injustice and make them the prey of tomorrow."

The television screen blanked out. Nanami and Jade exchanged looks. They were both thinking the same thing. Chimera never gave out information if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Karmesinrot Rache always had to find out by themselves.

"Melodramatic much?" Kirei asked in amusement, accepting a mission file from Kayla who was passing them out. Kayla had her own specialized copy written in Braille. She started to read, her fingertips brushing over the raised bumps on the paper. "There is a dinner banquet held at Takamura Restaurant in Tokyo. Sasaki would be there," Kayla read.

"Did Chimera happen to send along tickets?" Nanami asked the blind girl. Kayla found the four blue tickets printed on glossy paper stapled to the floor plans of Sasaki Omizu.

"Be ready for a night on the town girls," Nanami picked up all four tickets. "After all, this is our return to Tokyo's night scene."

* * *

The valet stands of the Takamura Restaurant were manned by very efficient people. When their red BMW pulled up, they were immediately greeted and welcomed towards the front doors. Nanami and Kirei were going after Sasaki Ginji while Jade and Kayla went to purification plant.

Nanami wore a deep marine blue silk dress with a silver shawl artistically arranged over her bare shoulders that complimented her delicate crystal feather earrings perfectly. Through the gaps of the silver threads, the sapphire necklace she wore on missions peeked through the shawl, an official marker of being on the job.

Kirei stepped out of the car, smiling graciously at the valets for their assistance. She was wearing a dark forest green dress with a black floral print. The slit in her dress came up to mid thigh on both sides, revealing long dancer's legs. She wore black pumps with green rhinestones, walking so smoothly as if she floated on air. A teardrop shaped emerald jewel on a silver chain necklace rested plainly on the outside of the dress. Kirei carried a small black purse in her hands while Nanami carried nothing.

"Your names please?" the man in a black tuxedo at the front desk asked both girls when they walked forward.

"Natalie Anderson," Nanami answered, handing the man both their tickets.

"Claire Sagarah," Kirei answered politely as the man accepted their tickets and wrote their names in the guest book.

"Please enjoy yourselves." The man allowed them entry into the fancy restaurant.

"I wouldn't think of doing anything else," Kirei smiled seductively as she breezed past him. The two walked straight through the front lobby towards the elevators. The lobby was spectacular. The fountain-like chandelier above them swayed rhythmically with the music from the string quartet and piano to their left. "The dinner banquet is being hosted on the twenty-third floor," Kirei read off a sign near the elevator.

"Great," Nanami replied grimly. The metal doors opened to reveal a grand lobby that led to the elaborate dinner banquet. "Find Sasaki," ordered Nanami briskly. They were on a schedule after all. The two separated, searching for the man who matched the picture in his profile.

* * *

A black motorcycle carried two passengers along on a dirt road. The motorcyclist kept the bike's headlights off and was driving in response to her partner's directions. Missions were the time when Kayla's asset shone. Her extrasensory abilities allowed her to See her environment in ways no science could explain. She was in tune with the universe in such a way that Jade trusted her guidance completely.

 _Watch out for the log that's buried in the brush to our right,_ Kayla directed. _There's a shallow hole coming up so brace for it_ , Kayla said quickly as she extended her senses outwards into the night. The motorcycle shook as it dipped into the predicted road obstruction and came back up swiftly.

Kayla smiled, seeing a good spot to stop their car. _It'll be clear for about twenty meters but watch for the next bend in the road. Turn left there and drive straight through the trees for about thirty meters until you get to a small clearing._ Soon as exactly as Kayla foretold, the small motorcycle was parked under a tall tree.

Jade took off her helmet. Jade shook out her long black hair, the wispy strands of jade green glowing in the bright moonlight as she scanned the area for mental noise. Jade gathered brush to cover the vehicle from passing guards. Her leather coat swept the moist grass as she piled the branches high.

The black gloves kept her hands clean from the rough wood. She flexed her hands, feeling the small metal plates on the knuckles scrape against her skin. She smiled, thinking of the damage its presence would add to her hard punches in close combat. Jade reached inside her pocket and retrieved a pair of dark sunglasses.

 _Are you ready?_ Jade asked her teammate in her head. _We're moving out._

 _Roger_ , she acknowledged with a nod. Kayla took off her helmet to reveal long brown hair tied up into a ponytail to keep it out of her eyes. She got their weapons out from the back of the motorcycle. She pulled out a sheathed no dachi first. The sword was sharp enough to slice through a living being as easily as it sliced through the night air. Kayla turned to face Jade. _Yours_ , Kayla passed the weapon to Jade.

Jade slung the sheath and sword over her back. The motions revealed a plum-colored outfit underneath her coat. In the scant light, her lace shirt was invisible over the black tank top. Her amethyst and silver necklace was tucked safely under the layers. She wore tight black pants tucked inside tough leather boots.

Kayla was one for functional comforts. She had on basic blue jeans, green shoes, and army camouflage shirt. Kayla slipped her sunglasses, checked her supplies, and pulled a silver hankyuu. Kayla handled the collapsible bow easily as an extension of her limb. She threw the backpack under the brush after removing a small bi-sectioned arrow pack. The steel arrows in the pack were separated into regular and incendiary, a swift end for their victims either way.

The two team members ran swiftly through the forest. The two kept in constant contact through Jade's telepathy. Kayla's heightened senses detected the crisp odor of electricity and heard the low hum of its energy rising under the chirps and whooshes of wildlife.

Kayla motioned her leader to stop. Jade kneeled before a security terminal box powering the fence around the plant. Once the wires were in place, she started the security override sequence. _Raven's code is too advanced for a simple defense like this_ , Kayla couldn't help but comment. It's almost insulting to her. Kayla chuckled quietly as they waited. Jade counted in her head the time it took for the overrides to kick the security system off.

* * *

Weiß stood in the shadows of the trees, watching the brightly lit plant a quarter mile in front of them. "Highly electrified fence with your standard barbed wire on the sides surrounding the whole plant's perimeter," Yohji recalled the exterior defense of Sasaki Omizu under his breath. "Closed circuit cameras and patrolling men."

"If we can short-circuit the electricity without notifying security, we can get inside through the fence," Aya said softly.

"If? That's so simple. Don't insult me." Omi grinned cockishly at them. "I'll let you know when to go in," he whispered before walking deeper into the forest alone. The young archer backtracked to one of the nearby power boxes where he carefully pried open the lid with the tools he'd brought. The computer screen blinked a confirmation when the link was created. Two minutes max. Anymore and I don't deserve to be called a hacker, Omi thought confidently. "What?" Omi blurted at his computer. "Seventeen seconds?" Shaking his head, he picked up his communicator. "Bombay here. I'm returning."

"Bombay, you're getting better at this stuff. Good job at shutting it down so fast," Ken's voice came over. The communicator clicked off before Omi could tell him that he _couldn't_ have got the fence down so fast. After gathering his equipment, Omi ran back just to see Aya slash through the dead metal fence with his sword.

"We better hurry before security makes their rounds," Omi warned as he followed them inside.

Weiß ran stealthily towards the back of the large building, skirting around camera radiuses. Yohji scanned for the nearest open window and pointed to one well above their heads. Nobody wanted to make it easy for them. Omi shot up a line of thin black rope from his crossbow. Three minutes later with some struggling on Yohji's part to climb three stories, Weiß landed inside the purification plant.

* * *

Kayla and Jade were simultaneously searching for the files to be destroyed. The bodies of the eight guards who protected the security room from people like Karmesinrot Rache lay forgotten behind them.

 _I found it! It's under Project Waterwall!,_ Kayla cried out in her head before she immediately uploaded a virus into the mainframe of the computer. As the virus began doing its share of havoc on the software, Jade succeeded in locating the hard copies of the chemical formulas. Kayla typed in the last password to wipe out any traces they might have carelessly left behind. Kayla unplugged everything systematically when her task was completed. Kayla pointed to below them towards the already contaminated water tanks whose contents were on their way to being spurted into plastic bottles and sold as spring water. Kayla felt a sudden jolt shoot through her head as she saw an image of four men running towards the door. _We have trouble_ , Kayla warned Jade of the arrival of intruders.

* * *

Kirei spotted their target mingling with a well built man with graying hair and a thick mustache to match. Kirei didn't like the sight of the two younger men beside him. Kirei knew bodyguards when she saw them. The very bored-looking one had bright red-orange hair that attracted everyone's attention to the fact he was a foreigner. His equally bright yellow bandanna didn't help matters.

His companion was a stark contrast with neat, short black hair parted down the middle of his scalp. He also wore a pair of glasses which he pushed up onto his face when it got too low. The gesture was the only thing about him Kirei thought made him human. He was almost too perfect in control and posture.

Kirei shoved the bodyguards out of her mind. After all, they weren't her targets.

"Raven, I found him," Kirei said smugly into her mouthpiece. "Table eight with the blue flowers as the centerpiece."

"I'm coming your way," Nanami replied.

Kirei moved forward towards the table, half hidden by the crowd. Before she could intervene, a waiter beat her to it by interrupting Sasaki's conversation about a phone call.

"Excuse me, Takatori-san, Merache-san," Sasaki apologized humbly to the men before he left to attend to the urgent matter.

Merache watched Sasaki exit the room with a worried expression on his face. Whatever concerns he had was wiped away at the sight of young girl in a dark forest green dress, whose hunter green eyes followed Sasaki's departure. Merache returned his attention to his companions, striking up a conversation so he would have plenty of witnesses. There would be nothing to link him to the messy murder.

Kirei kept her eye trained on Sasaki's movements, a silent shadow in green. Sasaki crossed the entire room to reach the private office tucked in the rear of the floor. "Raven. He's going to the back," Kirei told to her partner, clueing her in about Sasaki's whereabouts before she steadily decreased the distance between her target and herself.

By the time the ex-dancer reached the office, Sasaki heard the bad news about the destruction of his purification plant. "What?" Sasaki spoke loudly; completely unaware he was not alone when Kirei slipped inside the room beside him. "Our entire network is down? Fix it!" Sasaki paused. "I don't care how you do it! Just do it! I'll be coming over as soon as I can!" Sasaki slammed the phone down and turned, finally regarding the young beauty before him. He scowled at her presence. "Who are you?" he asked sharply, his eyes showing the temper he was in.

"Oops! I thought this was the bathroom!" Kirei patted her purse delicately. "I was going to touch up my make-up." Her hands slipped inside, touching the velvet of her purse's interior and then cold metal, bamboo, and silk.

"The bathroom's on the other side of the banquet room," Sasaki growled, trying to push past her to return to his guests.

"Wait," Kirei called out to stop the man. "Which side again?"

"The other side!" Sasaki pointed to his left, not looking at the girl clearly. He screamed when the extended arm was sliced to the bone. Kirei now had the man's full attention. Anger was joined by confusion and pain. Sasaki whirled about, spouting curses at the attacker. "You fucking bitch!" Sasaki reached for his phone to call security.

Kirei kicked, knocking the phone to the other side of the room. She repeated the strike with the same leg without lowering it to the floor to catch Sasaki under the chin, tossing him backwards against the wall.

Sasaki pushed himself upright, his hand on his bleeding neck. "What are you doing?" he reacted. "Who sent you?" His mouth went dry when he felt the blood on his fingers. "Who are you working for?"

Nanami entered the room in time to hear the last question. Kirei scoffed. Every victim had questions. She didn't feel like dealing with them tonight. "If we told you, what good would it do? You'll still die in thirty seconds." Kirei smiled through tight lips, anticipating the kill like the viper she was. Sasaki looked at the both of them wildly.

"I can pay you ten times what you're being offered. I can! Anything is within my means!"

Nanami's eyes narrowed at his declaration. All her life, they feed her family lies and bribes. Tonight, the world would have one less scumbag. She said in a low, threatening voice, "You laugh when you pump poisonous water to our children, to our mothers and fathers, and to our friends. You smile when you demand ransom money from the government to save the people you're killing. How much money can equal to the grief the world feels?" Nanami snarled. "Tell me!" she demanded.

Sasaki tried to scream. A senbon flew from Nanami's hand to pierce his throat, cutting it off. Sasaki gave a strangled gasp when Kirei struck without warning. His attention had been solely on Nanami. The two slender metal poles in her hand fell open to reveal a fan with bladed tips. Kirei dealt the death blows. "Objective one completed," Kirei said grimly, closing her fans and tucking them back into her black purse.

"Let's go," Nanami said over her shoulder, exiting the scene.

The two girls strode down the hallway to the back exit. Anyone who saw the two girls leaving got their memory altered by Kirei's Gift. As they took the stairs down, a man in the green jacket followed them with an interested look. A whisper of sensation returned to his mind after touching the young girl in green's consciousness. Schuldig returned to his leader, curiosity sated. He sat down beside Crawford with his lips turned into a smirk. Crawford immediately noticed the change in the German's attitude. He waited until Takatori engaged Christopher Merache in conversation before he allowed Schuldig to speak directly to his mind.

 _Two girls exited the same room Sasaki Ginji entered_ , Schuldig reported to Craword through telepathy. _They killed him_ , Schuldig said matter-of-factly. There was no doubt about it. Schuldig scanned the private room after those girls had left to find Sasaki Ginji dead.

Crawford remained silent as his calculated the result. _They just caused Eszet a lot of trouble_ , the leader of Schwarz decided.

* * *

Nanami drove the car towards Sasaki Omizu. The car's headlights were turned off as soon as Nanami hit the empty roads leading to the isolated water purification plant outside of Tokyo.

"They're not done," Kirei said, worried. The plant was still intact. Kirei opened the glove compartment of the car and took out a small tracking device. "Panther's bike is still here."

"Get dressed." Nanami climbed out of the car to remove two unmarked canvas bags from the small trunk. They stripped down in the night, changing into their assassin gear.

Nanami was a striking figure, resplendent in black leather as the elite hacker Raven. The form fitting outfit was a protective skin over her body. Her calf-high boots with matte silver buckles had durable treads to navigate the slipperiest of surfaces. To finish off her assassin gear, she slipped on a pair of dark wraparound sunglasses.

Kirei wore a skin-tight black shirt and blue pants tucked into low black boots. She shrugged into her customized black jacket, sliding her shukusen into their pockets lining the arms. Kirei donned her own pair of wraparound sunglasses.

Raven and Viper, the last two members of Karmesinrot Rache, moved in unison, the telepathic link between all of them become stronger with each running stride.


	4. Mission 01 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 01 Ankunft - Arrival (Drowning In Blood)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 11-04-01

* * *

The last mission reminded Weiß they were getting sloppy. Ken knew the filing room was on this floor. They hadn't encountered any guards. _Where is the patrol?,_ Ken thought in trepidation. Suddenly, he was answered by a door being flung up ahead. Two shadowy figures dashed away from them. Weiß automatically gave chase to the fleeing people. A rumbling from inside the room grew into a deafening roar as fire exploded outwards from the vacated room, causing Weiß to backtrack from the heat. Finally the red fire subsided enough to remain contained in the filing room.

"After them!" Aya ordered. Aya's face twisted in distaste when he felt the melted metal door glue his boots to the ground as he passed. Whatever explosive the two saboteurs used, it was thorough.

Weiß reached the end of the hallway just to see the two girls disappear down another. The alerted security guards joined the fray. Yohji shot out the wire from his garrote with precise aim to snag a startled guard's weapon free from his hand. Yohji manipulated the wiry cyclone with precision, simultaneously knocking down any guards who lost their guns to him. Aya slashed determinedly at outstretched arms holding guns while Ken dodged between the thrashing bodies, killing more of the resistance. Omi defended their backs using his long distance weapon to snipe down any guards who dared to sneak in.

Finally, Weiß entered a dimly lit chamber with a maze of suspended walkways above the water tanks. Their contents were churning violently as pumps and filtrates worked to purify the waters. The noise from the machinery was deafening.

"Who are they?" Omi shouted over the grinding sloshing of metal and liquid. He watched the two girls jump from one of the higher scaffolding to another to escape their pursuers with wide eyes. They hadn't expected to find adversaries like them on a mission.

"They could be criminals stealing information from Sasaki Omizu to use it to bribe them," Aya replied bluntly, keeping a trained eye on the two girls.

"I'll get them," Yohji declared, shooting a long length of wire. The wire caught on something in the darkness above the two girls. Before anyone could do anything, Yohji locked his garrote and jumped off his perch. He swung through the air in a wide arc, black-blue leather coat flapping wildly. He landed neatly in a crouching position in front of the two. "You're girls!" Yohji blurted out without thinking after Kayla and Jade stepped forward to fight him. The faces behind the dark sunglasses revealed they were no older than he was! Yohji certainly wasn't expecting to fight women. But Karmesinrot Rache had no trouble fighting him.

"And you're in my way! Move!" Jade hissed the order impatiently at the older man. When Yohji failed to comply, she darted forward at him, landing a punch to his face and then a roundhouse kick at his torso.

Weiß came running after witnessing the aggression. They were forced to take the roundabout route. Kayla turned, hearing footsteps reverberate. The rest of Weiß and security guards coming behind them.

 _Incoming_ , Kayla thought darkly as she pulled out a silver arrow from her quiver, notched the arrow in the bow and then shot it, all done in a second.

 _They're coming_ , Jade replied firmly as she ducked under Yohji's kick. She grabbed his leg and twisted it to ruin Yohji's balance. Yohji shouted in fear as he fell over the guard-rail but a gloved hand grabbed his own, saving him. Yohji looked up at Jade. He swore as he found a firm handhold. "Ciao." Jade smirked devilishly as she left him hanging there.

"Hey! Wait!" Yohji shouted, swinging his feet up to get a foothold.

Jade caught up with Kayla whose archery cleared the way for them. From below, Jade sensed Kirei and Nanami entered the plant.

 _Where are you?_ Kirei's voice bellowed in their heads.

 _Above the water tanks_ , Jade replied briskly, casting a glance back to count the number of guards on their tail.

 _We can use some help here_ , Kayla added urgently, sensing Jade's count of fifteen armed men chasing them plus four strangers, including the one whom Jade saved from falling to his death.

Their four way telepathic link courtesy of Jade became stronger as the other two got closer. Their enemies were finally cooperating in their attacks. Jade hated when they got smart. Their shots were well aimed and the two girls had to fight for their lives again.

 _Be up in a second_ , Nanami promised, seeing their teammates in trouble. Kirei and Nanami kept their word as they ran up to the elevators.

"There are more of them!" Aya growled when Nanami's and Kirei's running footsteps pounded the metal planks above them, causing it to vibrate.

Karmesinrot Rache became complete as all four members met up. Nanami pulled out her needles and threw them with a controlled flick of the wrist. Each needle pierced deep within the body of its victims. Trickles of blood ran down the sides of their mouths as the bodies collapsed. Exposed eyes, throats, and hearts were her targets.

Kirei whipped out her twin fans and weaved through their opposition. One small step to the left, two stumbled; a long stride to the right, another body perished; turn left and then right, four struck onto the ground dead before they touched the cold metal. She teased her prey with her fans, moving in an exotic dance to transfix those who dared to fight her.

Kayla moved so fast, she was only a blur of brown, black and blue. Silver arrows flew straight and true, finding the mark near and far each time. No arrows were lost or wasted. Each arrow was her silver talons cutting off the cries of death.

Jade watched her prey without making a noise. Her agility, speed, keen eyesight and hearing served her here by deflecting the bullets with her blade. However she was a close range fighter so Jade cut down the resistance as they neared them.

The corpses lay everywhere, preventing them from moving freely. Blood from the dead security guards spilled over the sides, dripping a red waterfall into the water tanks below. The water transformed from a clear blue into a dark pink to finally becoming a deep red color.

Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache fought valiantly but no matter hard the two teams fought, security kept arriving in waves. _No way out but down_. Jade looked at the water tanks below them. She judged the distance of the fall. It was a very high number of meters.

 _No!_ Kirei and Nanami both shouted back at her. Jade winced as the telepathic link made their mental protests louder than any verbal one could ever be.

 _Maybe I can evaporate all of it?,_ Nanami suggested desperately. _I am not going to drown to death!_

 _Feel free to try but do it fast_ , Kirei said nervously as she watched Weiß being overtaken. _They're having just as much trouble as we are._

They cleared the bodies by kicking them over the sides so Nanami would have more room to work. The corpses bobbed like buoys before they sank, staining the waters crimson. Nanami raised her hands, sending a burst of chaotic flame towards the tanks and one towards their approaching enemies. Her fire shone like a beacon in the dark.

"What's happening?" Omi asked, confused at the sight of the fire. No one answered him. They didn't know either. When the fire touched the surface of the water, the tanks erupted into flames with a soft whoosh of power. Everyone stared in shock as the waters blazed below them.

 _That did_ not _help_ , Jade commented dryly as the fires increased. She checked to see if there was another escape route.

 _It's all contaminated with flammable chemicals_? Kirei was outraged! Weiß continued fighting, throwing the men into the now fiery, bloody pools.

 _That doesn't even make sense! It's water! Water isn't supposed to burn_ , Kayla added as she shot a man who was looking at the fire and not at her bow.

 _Fuck_ , Nanami swore in her head. _Now what do we do?_

Jade stood up straight, watching Yohji throw a guy over after he had been dealt with by Ken's bugnucks. _Not bad teamwork_ , Jade admired Weiß's ability to take care of the opposition.

A man took a chance at her distraction and charged at her. Jade turned her sword around and let the fool run into it without looking back. The man collapsed on the end of her blade, never touching the leader of Karmesinrot Rache. Jade yanked the sword out and kicked the man over into a water tank.

 _We need to get over there_ , Nanami found their escape. Running parallel to them was another walkway that split into three with one leading to a door. _I'm pretty sure that door leads outside._

"Oh God, Raven." Kirei groaned at the idea. _That's too far to jump_ , Kirei said to the others as she judged the distance.

 _We can make it if sh gives us a little push with her powers_ , Jade calculated the distance versus Nanami's abilities.

 _It'll be close_ , Kayla said, sweating above the fire. The heat swamped her senses. She tasted the acrid metal in her mouth, smelt the blood inside the waters, and heard the popping of expanding metal as heat warped its surface.

 _We'll make it_ , Nanami sounded more certain than she felt. It didn't help Jade picked up on her feelings. Luckily, her normally sarcastic leader kept the inkling to herself. _Everyone jump on my signal_ , Nanami said.

 _Falcon, do think you can clear out the trash?,_ Jade asked first, thinking of the team that saved them.

 _Is it time to blow something up?,_ Kirei asked hopefully.

 _Big time_ , Jade replied, opening her leather duster to reveal her utility belt. She extracted five pressure bombs which she tossed into each water tank. Kayla aimed the explosive arrow and released it towards the mass of fighting people. The reinforced arrowhead embedded itself into the walkways. No one would be able to remove it. They wouldn't have enough time to try to either. The arrow activated itself, beeping once. It silently counted down till its detonation. The four girls took a giant step onto the guard-rail and then jumped as far as they could.

"You're not going to make it!" Omi screamed in fright as he watched the last of them leap out into the air over the five flaming tanks.

Nanami created a strong, rough wind within the confines of the water purification plant. As the wind shunted the four girls across the distance, the water in the tanks below sloshed out as waves of orange flames, setting the lower levels ablaze. Karmesinrot Rache landed heavily on their feet before charging towards the exit while Weiß and the security watched in awe.

"What are they?" Ken asked as Jade paused to turn around.

"Fire in the hole!" she screamed as the other three continued towards the door. After delivering her message, she followed the others. Weiß stared at the arrow left by the female group. Weiß decided the chances were better if they were running than fighting. They cleared the area in record time. A sudden flash of white light went off as the suspended walkways were blasted into minuscule shrapnel.

Jade's pressure bombs went off one by one, destroying the walls of the tanks to send water surging through the ground levels. The waters broke open every window and door, reaching almost to the third floor. The chemicals coated every surface like oil, spreading the flames.

Weiß appeared back in the hallway to rest. Adrenaline coursed their bloodstream and gave them the power to move when the girl warned them of their plan. "Where did they go?" Aya asked Omi.

"You still want to follow them?" Yohji asked amazed, breathing heavily. "I think you like one of them."

"I want to know who they are." Aya pushed himself off the wall with effort.

"They are heading to Block D outside," Omi answered, recalling the files he studied. "Follow me." Omi ran off with Ken.

The chilly night air stunk worse than anything Karmesinrot Rache had the displeasure of smellin. They stood on the cement wall bordering the large rectangular tank containing Tokyo's sewer waters. "More water." Nanami looked at the dark waters in distaste. A primal fear welled up inside of her and threatened to take over each time she was faced with the dark depths of deep water.

"Is it clean?" Kayla asked, covering her nose and mouth as her powerful sense of smell was a disadvantage at the moment.

"It's not contaminated with the chemicals if that's what you mean. So, yeah it's clean," Kirei replied with a grimace on her face.

"Lovely," Jade remarked disheartened, revolted at the prospect of falling in the slimy fluid. She searched for their exit, glad to see the attached stairwell leading down from their level. Jade pointed to the stairwell bolted to the cement wall. A whisper of sensation warned her of company. The leader whirled around to scowl at Weiß. "Don't you ever give up?" Jade asked, annoyed at their appearance. "I just want one night, just _one,_ when we could just kill someone and get away without stupid men showing up to play hero."

"Well, I just want to find a gorgeous supermodel lying on top of hundred million yen on my bed but hey, I don't see that happening either," Yohji replied evenly. It failed to get a visible reaction from the leader of Karmesinrot Rache.

"Who are you four?" Aya asked, studying the four girls closely and taking in their assassin gear. If he couldn't get the necessary information about them tonight, he would have Kritiker research them.

"Does it matter? We have nothing against you. Don't do something stupid and make us become your enemies," Kayla replied, pulling an arrow out in flash and aimed at Omi. "Kid, don't even think about it!" Kayla shouted to Omi who was about to raised his own arm crossbow in attack.

"Keep you hands where we could see them." Kirei added.

"Anything for a lady." Yohji raised his hands over his head, surreptitiously launching his garrote to encircle Kayla's bow. Kayla cursed as Yohji yanked hard on his end, triggering a fierce battle between the two teams.

Jade cut Kayla's bow free from Yohji's wire before she attacked him. Aya darted in to slash at Nanami's exposed side. Nanami jumped away, kicking out at the swordsman's head. Aya saved himself by throwing his body out of her range and then pushing off the ground to charge ahead for a horizontal strike.

From her holders, she pulled out two needles to parry away the thicker blade with her weapon. She wielded them deftly against Aya's katana, grasping them tightly between gloved fingers. Aya dodged a flurry of needles from left's hand. Nanami reminded him she had more, throwing one to the right as he moved in the direction. Aya winced reflexively when the needle sank deep into his thigh.

Nanami's attack put her into his sword's range. With a feeling of satisfaction, Aya extended his sword quickly, cutting into her left arm. So far the count was one for one, first blood going to Nanami.

Behind them, Omi pressed the trigger on his crossbow rapidly but everything around him seem to swirl. Omi couldn't focus on Kirei's movements. Kirei's metal fans found their marks three times. Omi bled from gashes on his legs and arms. Omi couldn't see what was cutting into him. Kirei retracted the blades when she wasn't attacking him directly. Omi lifted his arm up once more, trying his best to concentrate. He shot at Kirei. A grunt of pain indicated he had hit someone at least. Kirei laughed gleefully at Yohji's loud curses.

"Bombay, aim!" Yohji winced, yanking the small crossbolt from his forearm. He ignored Omi's apologetic shout over the noise of fighting and rushing sewer water beside him.

"He did." Jade smirked, waiting for Yohji to resume his battle with her. "I saved you before because you weren't going to hurt us. Continue fighting and I won't show mercy."

Yohji gave her a daring look. "I have nothing against you, honestly. I bet you have beautiful eyes if you take off your sunglasses," Yohji replied, tossing his garrote's wire out. Jade's sword flicked to the right, knocking away the metal tip of the wire.

"Do you always talk this much?" Jade inquired, unimpressed by the man she was fighting.

"Only when a mysterious girl's trying to kill me." Yohji smiled charmingly as he flung his wire out again. While Jade blocked, he tackled her to the ground.

Jade stumbled with the added weight against her body. Yohji's momentum was too strong for her thin frame. She fell backwards, pushing Yohji off her with a strong kick. Yohji didn't let her arms go when she planted her boots against his stomach. He pulled her halfway up before she twisted her arms free to punch him in his face, shattering his sunglasses with her cestus. He pulled off the broken shades after releasing Jade.

"That's the second pair," Yohji muttered, peeved at his misfortune. He threw the sunglasses away. Jade held out her hand, beckoning him to come closer if he dared. Yohji smiled and was all too happy to obliged

Ken just couldn't lay a hand on this girl! Kayla had amazing agility that wasn't even dampened by this narrow ledge the two of them were fighting on. While he was dodging arrows that came from everywhere, he had no time to try to take her down. Too many near misses caused him to be wary, draining his mental stamina rapidly.

 _I just need once chance. Just one chance_ , Ken thought in panic when Kayla pulled another arrow from her arrow pack. He somersaulted forward, sweeping his legs out to kick Kayla's legs from under her. She heard his jacket scratching the ground and his exhalation when the action compressed his lungs. An image of his attack blasted inside her head when her mind pieced the sensory information together. She jumped up to avoid his kick.

Ken growled at his failure. He ducked around her but Kayla caught his unprotected stomach with her hankyu. He grunted painfully, his breath knocked from him. Ken took a daring swipe at the girl again. Kayla ducked under his swing but the bugnuck caught onto one of her longer arrows. He yanked it free of his bugnuck in anger and threw it at her. The arrow embedded itself into the cement wall and beeped, activated.

Kayla stared at the activated arrow in horror after hearing the deadly beep. "Rache!" Kayla screamed out in fear. Weiß turned at her shriek, looks of confusion at the sudden interruption.

"Fuck!" Yohji gaped at the arrow. He was the first to recognize the danger three feet away from him.

"Retreat!" Jade shouted the order at her team. Her steady voice hid the tremble of fear she felt.

"Run!" Kirei shouted frantically to Weiß.

The arrow began to vibrate slightly. "No time! Into the water!" Jade ordered firmly when she saw the movement.

"But...I ca-can't," Nanami stuttered wildly. She had no choice as the arrow began to beep. Jade hauled Nanami into waters, closely followed by the others just before the arrow detonated. The force separated the group from each other. _Jade!,_ Nanami screamed in her head. _Help! I can't breathe!_ No reply came. She thrashed helplessly against the overwhelming pull of the large pumps. Everything was becoming a horrible blackness. Before the light of the surface vanished, she saw a figure swim towards her and grab her arm.

After an eternity of being swirled around, a large pipe deposited the semi-filtered water from the outside tank into a smaller circular storage tanks before they were to be chemically treated in a series of steps.

Kayla surfaced first and began to cough violently. Kayla pulled up with all her strength to bring Kirei up beside her. The two girls dry heaved and coughed in fits, incapable of doing anything else until they cleared the water trapped in their lungs.

"Where's Raven and Panther?" Kirei managed to ask after her hacking coughs subsided enough to draw in sweet air.

"I don't know." Kayla tried to sense for them. "Panther!" Her shout bounced around the confines. "Raven!"

Suddenly Jade broke the surface of the water beside them, holding a nearly unconscious figure close to her. Jade spat out a vile tasting mouthful of water and tossed her head, trying to get her wet hair out of her eyes so she could see.

"Raven!" Kirei swam slowly towards them, trying hard to remain afloat.

"She will be alright," Jade replied, kicking hard with her feet because her arms were burdened by the limp form of Nanami. "I got her up in time."

"That's a relief." Kayla smiled. She helped Jade support Nanami in the water. Nanami stirred. She gasped in deep breaths of welcomed air but remained clinging to Jade for support.

"Where are we?" she asked, disoriented from the lack of oxygen.

Kirei looked up at the night sky. "We're outside but there's a metal grate over us."

"So how do we get out?" Nanami asked in a panicked voice. The feel of the water was starting to oppress her, ruining her ability to cope with the situation. She wanted to be on dry land now!

"No idea," Jade replied, shaking her head. "We could always blow another hole in the wall to drain it that way."

"Another fun ride," Nanami said sarcastically at the suggestion.

"Ah, she's returning to normal," Jade remarked wryly. "Give me another exploding arrow." Kayla pulled out the last of her exploding arrows from her flat quiver pack. Most were lost during their adventures through the pumps. "Viper and Falcon, take her." Jade gave Nanami to Kayla and Kirei. "Prepare yourselves. I'm going as far down as I can to do this but it might not be far enough." The other three girls nodded. Jade took a few deep breaths to concentrate the amount of oxygen in her bloodstream before she went under.

As she swam lower she realized her gear was causing enormous drag. She unbuckled her no dachi and shed it from her body unwillingly. It was a gift from Chimera after her recruitment to Karmesinrot Rache. Between losing the sword and jacket, Jade chose the jacket. Jade abandoned the jacket and kicked it free from her body. She could move efficiently now. Jade stabbed the arrow into wall as deep as she could. She waited for the arrow's single beep before going up. Jade tried not to think about anything but putting distance between her and the tiny, powerful bomb. She saw the treading feet of her team just as a wave of pressure pushed her straight upwards when the bomb detonated. Jade broke surface like a leaping fish. The water swirled around them. The girls clutched one another so they wouldn't be separated. Soon they were flushed out onto the muddy ground outside.

Kirei turned onto her back, looking up at the night sky. "We survived!" Kirei cried, laughing hoarsely at their success. "We survived!"

"You had doubts?" Kayla asked, laughing weakly too. She took a deep breath to collect herself. Her stomach rolled and she retched loudly. She knew she swallowed some of the water on their way out.

"Let's never do that again," Nanami said, standing up shakily.

"I agree," Jade said, swiping mud off her clothes. As she watched the brown sludge drip off her body, she sighed a request, "Let's go home. Please?"

"But what about celebrating our success?" Kirei asked, getting a helping hand from Kayla to stand.

"We all just took a bath in the city's sewer water," Kayla reminded Kirei. Kirei shuddered violently in disgust. Kirei ran towards their stashed car and motorcycle with Nanami following in earnest.

"That's a good girl," Jade praised Kayla's quick thinking, placing her hand on Kayla's shoulders and walking with her. A small victory presented itself when she saw her leather jacket in the distance. She hadn't wanted to go celebrate anything until she scalded her body and clothes clean. "We'll go right home after I leave our calling card."


	5. Mission 01 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 01 Ankunft - Arrival (Drowning In Blood)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 11-04-01

* * *

Weiß ended up in a similar position like Karmesinrot Rache. They too were sent into a smaller circular tank outside Sasaki Omizu. Fortunately, Weiß had Omi's crossbow to save them. Omi launched a coil of rope attached to one of his heavier arrows and began to climb the anchored line. When Omi reached the top, he pushed the weighed grate off and helped the others out of their watery confines. Omi wrinkled his nose at everyone's new cologne.

Weiß stood on top on the wall, drained and drenched. "Check it out." Ken pointed to the road in front of the blackened shell of Sasaki Omizu. The chemically treated water had finally drained out but the fire did the most damage. Wisps of gray, acrid smoke floated up into the night sky. A dark red car and a single person riding a small black motorcycle appeared from behind the water purification plant. Weiß stared at the vehicles, knowing they had new opponents. The car turned around the bend away from Sasaki Omizu but the motorcycle suddenly stopped while the car continued on its way. The cyclist turned to face them. Weiß and biker stared at each other from across the distance. Yohji could just feel the smirk on the woman's face.

"Hey." Ken said nervously as Weiß felt the ground shudder. A large explosion from inside Sasaki Omizu crumbled the outer walls of the building. The building collapsed into itself, filling the night air with sounds of rending metal. Weiß did not see the girl ride away as the sight of dead building mesmerized them.

"Abyssinian?" Omi asked. "What's going to happen now?"

Aya stared at the orange flames that reached up the moon itself. He wondered about tonight. "I don't know," Aya admitted heavily. A dark look entered his violet eyes as the redhead turned towards the clear road. The female team had vanished before he could get answers from them. "But our mission has been completed by another team."

"What about Sasaki Ginji?" Ken asked.

"We'll go after him now. There's no time to waste."

Weiß turned to the ladder leading down to the ground and headed towards Aya's car.

Omi trudged behind everyone, dwelling what happened. _Who were they? Are they really our enemies or friends? That girl did save Yohji-kun and then warn us. If they're here to kill us, who sent them?_

"Bombay, you're going too far," Yohji called out the warning. Omi had walked straight past the car since he was so deep in thought. He returned quickly, flustered.

As Aya pulled on the highway, Ken spoke up. "Turn on the radio. Maybe there's some thing about those girls we just met," Ken suggested from the backseat. Yohji flipped through the stations, hoping to find a news report.

"The weather is cool and windy tonight. A 60% chance of rain in Tokyo is expected in the late night hours." The weather report went on, comparing temperatures for the same season from previous years. Weiß listened to the news for thirty minutes before the report they dreaded to hear came on.

"The body of Sasaki Ginji was discovered in Takamura Restaurant earlier this evening. The police had classified this as a homicide. He was the CEO of Sasaki Corporation. Sasaki Ginji had just opened his new Sasaki Omizu Purification Plant this morning, a milestone event for our city. Sasaki Ginji had planned to run for Head of the Department of Water and Energy in Tokyo next year."

"We have the following statements from the head of the Police Department, Takatori Shuuichi. I quote, 'No murder weapons were found at the scene of the crime. There are no suspects as of yet. Any witnesses are urged to step forward with any information about this homicide.' That quote was released from Takatori Shuuichi just minutes ago as the Tokyo police continue their investigations."

Dead silence hung in the car as the news report ended. A sports commentary followed. Aya looked at the clock to see it was a quarter to ten. _So Sasaki is dead too. Was it the same team?_ , he wondered as he took them home.

The four assassins went straight to their rooms. Heavy rain began to fall as if it was trying to cleanse the city of Sasaki's poisons. Ken lay awake listening to the soothing sound of rain against his window before his eyes finally closed and he was fast asleep.

"I'm back!" Omi called out cheerfully as he entered the flower store from the back. He saw the others sitting around a closed Koneko No Sume Ie shop. "Manx!" Omi swallowed hard when he saw how serious everyone else looked.

"We have a problem, Omi," Ken told him. Omi stared at the three with a confused look on his face and felt his heart sink. Bad news was definitely coming. Manx walked downstairs and Weiß followed. In the basement, Manx turned to face them. Her face was grave.

"Mission?" Omi asked looking at Manx but she had no folder in her hand.

"No. Something else," Manx replied flatly.

"What is it? Just tell us already," Yohji said from his chair.

"You four are aware Sasaki Ginji was killed in Takamura Restaurant last night?" Manx asked the team. She was trying hard not to let her concern show.

"Yes," Aya admitted.

"Was Weiß the team who achieved this?"

"No," Yohji replied.

He saw Manx's eyes harden. Manx knew the truth but hearing it made it worse. "Did Weiß eliminate Sasaki Ginji?" she asked forcefully. "Did Weiß take down Sasaki Omizu?" Manx repeated.

"Not really," Omi replied weakly.

"I thought so." Manx sighed.

"Is Kritiker mad at us for that? The man was killed by someone else and he was stopped, wasn't he?" Ken asked defensively.

"But that's exactly what's wrong!" Manx cried.

"What do you mean?" Aya narrowed his eyes. "Does Kritiker know something?" Manx looked away. Orders from Persia made her hold her tongue. But Aya pressed harder. "What has Kritiker found out, Manx?"

"We know their name," Manx responded slowly. "Karmesinrot Rache."


	6. Mission 02 Verfolgung - Chase

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 02 Verfolgung - Chase (Crimson Crusade)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-01-01

* * *

The front door opened to reveal two very tired young women. The absence of Kirei's usual spunk was an obvious indication of her exhaustion. The brunette clumsily ran to the sofa and promptly fell upon it with an extended exhaled breath.

Her mentor and primary guardian, Nanami, sluggishly walked over a vacant chair and flopped down, arms and legs giving out after the journey around the city. She winced after she jarred her bad arm on the armrests. Mindful of the pain, she rearranged her body into a better position under Kirei's concerned eyes.

"Nanami?" the green eyed youngster called in hopes of gaining the other's attention.

Nanami gave her a forced smile; she hated the way others seemed to play her injuries over the top. She convinced her body it wasn't suffering from the wound on her arm. It was merely a scratch. The lie had taken her mind off the pain until Kirei began asking about it. Now her arm throbbed for medical attention.

Injuries were unforgivable under Chimera's strict standards. Chimera would turn her into an example if he knew about her injury. Just thinking about the large, ox-like man's stern reprimands made the arm pulse with more anger than pain.

"I'm fine." Nanami forced her voice to remain even. "It's only a scratch. It'll be gone by this evening," Nanami soothed, trying to reassure the worried Kirei.

Sighing, Kirei gave up, knowing full well it was useless to get Nanami to accept help. The girl was just so stubborn! As the young girl pouted angrily over the current circumstances, the reason for this concern in the first place crossed her mind.

"Nanami." Kirei turned to her mentor again, cushioning her head with her arms. "What about the guys we fought? What do you think will happen?" Kirei's face creased with worries. "I don't want that redhead guy to hurt you!" Kirei exclaimed passionately, her fighting spirit blazing in her green eyes.

Nanami, who had nearly fallen asleep in the short lull, bolted upright on the chair and stared wide eyed at her younger comrade, marveling at how Kirei remembered this when she didn't. _I must be more sleep deprived than I thought. No more staying up and cleaning gear in the dead of night_ , Nanami thought disturbingly.

"So what, Kirei? We'll deal with them if they try to come after us again." Nanami replied confidently. "There's nothing wrong with that, right?" Nanami asked.

Kirei relaxed against her make-shift bed in the living room, thanking Nanami's great sense of logic and her common sense. She had a knack for finding solutions, even though Kirei had to admit, this one was a quickie. Looking in the direction of the stairs, Kirei started reminiscing about the mission.

Kirei was the most adaptable out of the four girls, able to change to meet circumstances no matter how strenuous or radical. Their mission began before they even met those rogue men at Sasaki Omizu. Their mission had begun when Chimera ordered the team to go straight to Tokyo in the car.

Kirei started loving the house as she began to unpack her things in her new room with bare white wallpaper. She had a small window looking towards the south, unobstructed by skyscrapers. Her wrinkled posters went up first, taped numerous times after moving from city to city to destroy their prey. This new room was her life now as dictated by the man she was devoted to. If Chimera said to live in Tokyo, she would. If Chimera told her to kill those men, she would.

Kirei jerked out of her silent reverie. An overpowering aura of loneliness had filled the room. Looking in the direction of its source, Kirei saw Nanami staring into nothing with stormy azure eyes, probably floundering in one of her half forgotten memories. God knows she had millions of them. Kirei studied her older teammate carefully. Words of concern were on the tip of her tongue but she knew Nanami would only deny her injury. She might as well. Nanami accepted assistance from no one.

Jade's light footsteps announced the girl's entrance through the kitchen. The black hair streamed over Jade's shoulders, leaving a trail of mint in its passing. All of them had practically drained the neighborhood's supply of hot water, showering and cleaning their gear. "How was your lunch?" Jade wanted to know, taking Kirei's mind off Nanami's somber state. Kirei was also the most emotional, tuned to everyone's moods and personalities like a shadow of their mind.

"Good," Nanami replied in a soft voice, taking her eyes off the smooth ceiling to focus in her companions. "What about your day?"

"I taught Kayla most of the day." Jade answered. "We're reviewing calculus."

Kayla walked in confident, measured steps. She had the floor plans of the whole house memorized after Jade took her around the house and neighborhood during a morning walk so she could become familiar with the land. "We also unpacked the rest of the things for the house," Kayla added brightly.

Nanami smiled gratefully. The chore of unpacking the things for the social areas of their home was too exhausting in her current state of health. If Kirei was the most adaptable, Nanami was the least. Chimera's sudden decisions had always rubbed her in the worst ways. The lack of information in each mission briefing, the abrupt changes in living arrangements, and his overbearing attitude of knowing exactly what she was thinking and curbing her protests before she could get a solid footing confounded her and made her defensive. Nanami had to obey the man but she never liked it. Nanami sighed, recalling her fortress of a home in Seito forest, missing the presence of her brother's spirit in the walls.

It was nothing like here with too many people under one roof. Nanami had gotten use to be alone. She enjoyed the company of her teammates only so much. She then scolded herself for the thoughts. It didn't matter. He was dead. Gabriel. The name wanted to float from her lips. Nanami bit them back, burying the name as she turned her attention back on the others.

* * *

The cries of their female fans were even less desirable than their squeals. Aya couldn't help the comparison from forming after spending the afternoon shift with them. "Ahh! Aya-san, why are you limping? You look awful!" someone exclaimed, the urge to cling to the redhead nearly overwhelming her logic.

"Oh no! Ken-kun! What's wrong? You don't look too good!"

"Is Omi-kun sick too?" Ouka asked, walking forward through the crowd of concerned girls. The others immediately separated to let the speaker past, faces respectful or jealous of her status and popularity in school.

"Omi's doing his homework. Shouldn't you all be doing the same?" Ken asked the crowd who swarmed the store regularly.

"Is Omi-kun too busy to see me?" Ouka looked around the store, making sure Ken wasn't lying to her. "Then I'll buy these for Omi-kun," Ouka declared as she pointed to the pink roses. "So he knows that I was here."

"Of course." Ken turned to prepare the purchase, tucking away a teasing smile for his absent friend. Ouka always bought flowers for Omi every time she visited the store. Omi always accepted them politely from the headstrong admirer.

Koneko No Sume Ie was open again after the departure of Manx, much to the disdain of its four keepers, all who had mysteriously fallen ill last night and were now recovering which explained their appearances. As always school girls overpopulated the little shop, leaving little room to move, even less to work in. To no one's surprise though, the eldest of the four store owners was doing anything but working. If fact, he was flirting.

"Oi, Momo-chan, I'd love to go on a date with you but you're too young for me!" Yohji said sorrowfully to a young brunette staring at him in hope. The admirer was crestfallen. "Just two more years until you're eighteen, right?" Yohji winked at her. "I'll wait for you."

Of course, at this comment the child-loving soccer player snorted. "Yohji, would you stop harassing the customers and actually work?" Ken asked, hands occupied with the task of arranging the flowers in the glass display cases.

Looking over at the athletic brunette with a feigned expression of shocked outrage, Yohji decided to have a little fun with the boy. "You wound me KenKen! I am working, working the girls that is!"

Aya, being one to work and not play around, glared at the playboy. Suddenly the bells to the front door chimed, signaling the arrival of Manx.

"Shit," Yohji muttered without thinking at her second visit of the day. Manx strode in confidently. Momo gave Yohji a curious look at his outburst.

"Now what?" Ken wondered to himself as Manx glanced quickly around the store before walking towards them.

"I'm sorry girls but the shop will be closing early on this lovely Monday afternoon." Yohji ushered the girls out forcefully. Loud groans followed the statement. Glares were shot at the liaison between Persia and Weiß. Manx whispered into Aya's ear, words that made his already wary form stiffen even further.

Down in the basement of the seemingly harmless Koneko No Sume Ie, the members of Weiß and their supervisor had gathered once again. The usually cheerful faces were now devoid of anything but a serious demeanor only fit for this kind of "discussion."

Yohji, sick of this uncomfortable silence in the air, asked the question on Weiß's mind at the moment. "Cut to the chase, Manx."

Manx cleared her throat purposefully. "I am going to tell you something very critical, something that might just give Weiß the upper hand." Pulling out a videotape from her person, she inserted it in the VCR. To the surprise of everyone except the informant, instead of seeing Persia, they saw a blurry picture in color of who they recognized as the girl Yohji, correction - Balinese fought the night before. The same dyed hair, clothes, weapon, everything! The only difference was the assassin looked noticeably younger. Seconds later, a list of information appeared alongside the photo. Manx, knowing all the information beforehand, began telling them about their mysterious new enemy.

"Karmesinrot Rache is led by Panther. She appeared in New York three years prior, proclaiming to be Karmesinrot Rache. At that time she was the only member. It wasn't until approximately six months later another member joined." Manx gestured to the image of Panther.

"Great, another Schreient," Ken muttered darkly under his breath about the other notorious female assassination team.

Aya stared hard at Manx who controlled her face to show nothing. He couldn't fathom another team like the female one who protected the son of his mortal enemy, Takatori Reiji. The screen went black before another picture appeared. This time the image was a side profile of a very young girl jumping out a window. After a moment of silence, a longer list than the previous one appeared for Raven.

"Karmesinrot Rache's second member Raven. This _charming_ young lady," Manx looked hard at the four males in the dark room, making sure they knew Raven was charming all right but in the "don't cross me" deadly sense, "from what you have told me, she was the one who went against Abyssinian." At this comment, Aya stiffened, remembering his fight with the nimble beauty. "It was easier to find information on her."

This aroused everyone's curiosity, including Aya's so much that he voiced his for once. "Why is that?"

"It took me a while to figure out why she sounded so familiar. She first appeared as a rogue assassin six years ago in Tokyo before she vanished from the local scene after being recruited for Karmesinrot Rache."

Yohji groaned rather loudly at the agent's information. "You know Manx, this information isn't helping us find their weakness."

Manx's green eyes darkened as she replied tensely, "Unfortunately we don't have that information as of yet." Yohji sighed in exasperation at her words and laid back, giving up on the argument. "However, Kritiker is still researching Karmesinrot Rache as we speak," Manx said sternly.

"There were four girls, what about the other two?" Ken asked. The girl he fought just wouldn't get out of his mind.

The image of Raven was replaced by two females fighting side by side amidst a large group of armed men. The strange thing about the image was the surroundings around the females were crystal clear. Weiß can count the number of dead men and fallen weapons around the girls' feet and see the armed men attacking them but one of the girls was a complete blur while the other held up two green fans in front of her face.

"The final members of Karmesinrot Rache are Falcon and Viper." Ken and Omi stared hungrily at the television. Manx tapped the television screen. "If you can't tell, on the right is Falcon. Normal camera speeds can't capture her image clearly." The details about the duo were incredibly short, listing the approximate date of their debut. "Falcon appeared in Karmesinrot Rache about one year ago."

"And Viper?" Weiß waited for the list of information about Kirei to appear. A single phrase popped up beside Viper's picture.

"Known as the Dancing Killer," Manx read the bold phrase seriously. "She is the last member to join Karmesinrot Rache. That's all we know," Manx stated. "There are no further files on her."

"So basically no one has seen Viper's face," Ken summarized where she was going in a dispirited voice. "Great," Ken stood up with a loud sigh. "Thanks, Manx. If Kritiker finds anything else, you'll tell us right away, right?"

"Weiß has beaten tougher opponents and won. Don't let Karmesinrot Rache intimidate you," Manx said before she took the tape out of the VCR. She placed it inside her jacket and patted it to secure its position. "You'll be getting more information about Karmesinrot Rache soon. Until then, be on your guard."

Weiß walked Manx upstairs to the door. "You don't want to stay for dinner?" Yohji asked smoothly as Manx walked past him.

"No, thank you. I don't think I'll be able to keep it down," Manx replied just as smoothly before she left the store.

Yohji clutched his heart, pretending to be wounded. "There's always tomorrow," Yohji said to the other three before he retreated to his own apartment.

* * *

Takatori Reiji was an influential figure in his city. The four men behind him backed up his image. Just beside him keeping in step with his hurried pace was Brad Crawford, who had accompanied Reiji to Takamura Restaurant the previous night.

Crawford was a tall fighter with toned muscles hidden under a crisp Armani suit. The way he carried himself gave him an air of authority and power.

Schuldig, the tall and slender German dressed fashionably in his green coat and white pants, walked behind his leader and employer. He had also accompanied Reiji to his dinner banquet last night. Schuldig had no choice but to feel the frantic vibes exude from Reiji all day. He smirked at the knowledge.

Farfarello lagged behind him. He was uninterested in the proceedings. He was annoyed by the way Reiji was acting, like a scared animal with his haunches up and teeth bared. Farfarello knew the old man had nothing left of his own. Reiji needed Schwarz. Schwarz was Reiji's keepers, not the other way around. But the graying man was too stupid to see it. He saw Schuldig looking at him over his shoulder, his smirk getting more noticeable. Farfarello realized Schuldig read his mind. _So Schuldig agrees with me_ , Farfarello thought.

Naoe Nagi, the final and youngest member of assassination group Schwarz at fifteen, sighed silently after looking from Schuldig to Farfarello. Even though Nagi wasn't a telepath like Schuldig, he was certain the two shared the same opinions. Nagi watched Farfarello run his tongue over the sharp needles he kept in his mouth. Nagi turned away, thinking he could literally feel the sharp pricks on his skin.

"Crawford." Reiji walked into the room, followed by the American and his trio of subordinates.

"Yes, Mr. Takatori?" Crawford answered his nervous employer calmly.

"Sasaki-san was killed last night. Did you know that was going to happen beforehand?" Reiji asked the pre-cog.

 _He's scared. Schwarz is protecting him and he's still scared_ , Schuldig thought as he followed Crawford.

"No." Crawford turned to meet Reiji's black eyes. "But I also don't See you in danger from the same fate from whoever killed Sasaki."

"Don't lie to me," Reiji growled, glaring at the man through his dark tinted glasses. His fat hand went to his neck, touching the fleshy skin. Sasaki's murderers had destroyed the same area with some sharp, jagged weapon.

"Mr. Takatori, Schwarz will kill anyone who gets in your way to become Prime Minister of Tokyo," Crawford reassured him.

"Good." Reiji sat behind his desk, looking relieved. Schuldig tried not to snicker at the man's trust. Schuldig succeeded, just barely. Reiji picked up his desk phone, getting to business after putting the bloody affair behind him.

Crawford listened to Reiji plan his party for his political group with one ear as he pondered the gory situation from last night. _There are rumors of Karmesinrot Rache_ _in Tokyo_ _,_ Crawford stared out the large window. _I don't doubt we'll meet up if the rumors are true. I don't need to See the future to know that_ _._ Crawford's attention was drawn to the ringing phone on Reiji's desk.

"Tokizo Masaya-san is here for your appointment," a male secretary, most likely Reiji's oldest son, informed the politician through his phone.

"Hirofumi, send him in," Reiji replied, feeling even better now that his old friend was here.

Schwarz rounded on the door at the entrance of two men. Tokizo Masaya was a rather tall man with eyes so dark gray they came off as dead. His sandy blonde hair was parted on the left side. He wore an expensive ash gray business suit over his skinny but muscular frame and a matte black tie over his white collared shirt. A second male about Crawford's height followed Tokizo Masaya into the office without a sound.

Crawford hid his contempt at the men behind a curtain of indifference. The rest of Schwarz's attitude resembled Crawford's as they tolerated the men because they were acquaintances of Takatori Reiji. Masaya glanced at Schwarz before he walked towards Reiji. "Reiji-san," Masaya greeted the man warmly.

"Masaya-san." Reiji smiled sincerely, bowing. "It's been a while. Welcome."

Masaya bowed as well. "You are looking well."

"But not as healthy as you." Reiji replied modestly.

"How is your campaign coming?" Masaya inquired about his political partner and running mate.

"It's doing alright," Reiji answered, waving his hand around. "Yours is going much better."

Masaya shook his head. "My campaign hasn't had much impact on the people like yours."

Reiji turned to the tall man that accompanied Tokizo, studying him. Schwarz did too, wondering what was so intriguing about the stranger. The nondescript stranger wore a plain black suit and dark sunglasses. Even with blonde hair and white skin, no one seemed to notice him until they made the effort.

 _A ghost_ , thought Farfarello, interest now piqued. Farfarello inhaled through his mouth, tasting the air with a moist tongue. The man had no aura. The corner of the Irishman's mouth lifted in an intrigued smile. Farfarello sensed an Eszet operative lurking inside the stranger.

"So this is your new bodyguard, Masaya-san?" Reiji laughed at the stiff man.

"This is Kyle Harrison." Masaya smiled grimly as he introduced the quiet blonde. The man was noticeably more muscular than Crawford.

"An American!" Reiji chuckled at the name. "Like Crawford."

" _Better_ than," Masaya corrected, watching Crawford closely to see if he reacted to the snub. He was aware of Crawford's feelings towards him. "But they never last long, Reiji-san. You know that. However, I see yours does."

"Of course!" Reiji laughed heartily. "Schwarz has been expertly taking care of things."

"Hm." Masaya smiled with false politeness at the comment. His cold eyes studied the rest of Schwarz. Nagi could feel his eyes roaming over his slender body. He tried not to shudder.

"Please sit down." Reiji gestured to the large chair across from his desk. "You may leave." Reiji ordered Schwarz. Masaya nodded to the strange blonde. Schwarz and the man exited the office to give the two politicians their privacy.

* * *

"Tch." Jade picked up the white envelope with the two red letters off the coffee table in the living room. She sat down in a chair, cradling the mission orders in her hands. _Another one already. Tokyo truly must be Hell._ When Chimera calls, Karmesinrot Rache, unfortunately, must come running.

"Mission!" Jade called out loudly, dragging her body over to the TV. The others joined her shortly. Kayla sat in Jade's vacated chair since Jade remained standing with the white envelope in hand. Kirei and Nanami sat together on the large sofa. The four girls waited for the shadowed man to explain who needed killing this time around. If the girls had been feeling more lighthearted, they'd make fun of the image and voice like they usually did but tonight none of them were in the mood.

"Karmesinrot Rache, your next target is Kaito Kiyoshi of X2." With that last sentence, the television screen went black.

"Where's the files?" Kirei asked after the orders were given. "Who's got them?"

"Jade has them," Kayla answered. "Can we have the files?" Jade didn't seem to hear the request. She stared at the black screen, clutching the white envelope as a violent premonition whirled inside her body. She had a really bad feeling about the target. She shouldn't have though. Kayla was the precog, not her.

"Jade!" Nanami called loudly when Jade didn't answer. Jade finally snapped out of her trance. She opened the envelope to pass around the papers within. Jade handed Kayla her copy written in Braille first so she can read.

"Club X2, huh?" Kayla repeated as she felt the letters in the stiff paper. "What an odd name."

"X2 actually stands for Exquisite Ecstasy." Jade held up a photograph of the multilevel nightclub and the giant sign reading X2 above its doors. "I'm not a big fan of nightclubs. Tonight is no exception." Jade read the address for the club. "It's on the other side of the city. We can find Kaito faster if we pose as bait."

"I'll do it," Kirei piped up eagerly. She had never been inside a nightclub before even in their line of work.

"No!" Jade disagreed quickly. The look on her face ordered Kirei to stop asking for the task but Kirei was not one to give up easily.

"But I want to help!" Kirei made a face at the leader.

"Jade, didn't you read the report? Kaito targets natural looking girls. With your hair, Kaito Kayuzaki, will never come to you," Kayla said, standing up. Jade ran her hand through her black-jade green hair with an irritated growl. She wanted the chance to slice the bastard into tiny strips. "Nanami and I will go in. You two will be back up," Kayla added.

"I'm bait?!" Nanami shouted, outraged. Being bait was unthinkable! It meant being socially inferior and for the sake of her sanity, willing to be near the man Chimera marked as their target.

"There's no one else, Nanami," Kayla reasoned calmly.

"I can handle being bait, Jade!" Kirei begged her older teammate. Kirei made another disappointed face after Jade shook her head.

"I refuse to let Kirei be bait," Jade said firmly. "Nanami, you have to be bait for this mission to work."

Karmesinrot Rache waited for Nanami to make up her mind about the mission. After a tense minute, Nanami growled her answer, "Fine."

"Then it's agreed," Jade said finally. _But if I see the target, I'll make sure he'd be dead before he hits the ground._ As second-in-command, Nanami should be capable of planning the mission and tactics when they got inside the nightclub.

"Then let's go!" Kayla grinned wickedly at Nanami. "We better get into our clubbing clothes."

"What clubbing clothes?" Nanami scoffed. "Mine is my gear. Any man that wants to dance with me should think twice."

"Better change that attitude or Kaito won't come near _you_ ," Kayla said slyly.

* * *

The daylight hours dragged. The three youngest of Schwarz were confined to a single room below the offices. Crawford was absent. He and Harrison remained with their employers for the lunch and dinner. Reiji made it known he didn't desire all of Schwarz's company because none except Crawford were presentable to the business class of Tokyo. Who would take the Japanese patriarch seriously if he was followed by two wild-looking foreigners and a scrawny schoolboy?

After being pushed aside, Schuldig got bored of the waiting room. The magazines were out of date, in Japanese, and for those in the financial sector. After running into a page worth of kanji he wasn't familiar with, he decided to head out for some well deserved fun that didn't come from literature.

"Where are you going?" Nagi asked Schuldig who was already walking towards the door.

"Out," Schuldig answered simply because he knew it aggravated the youth to not receive a straight answer. Nagi frowned to Schuldig's glee.

"Did Crawford give you permission to go?" Farfarello appeared beside him in front of the elevators. Schuldig's eyes hardened at thin lines of fresh blood on Farfarello's hands but shrugged it off. If Farfarello wanted to scar himself, Schuldig knew better than to stop his habits.

"If you get to have fun, shouldn't I?" Schuldig asked smugly. Farfarello kept his protests to himself until the elevator reached their floor. Schuldig punched the button for the ground level.

"Crawford doesn't know you're leaving then?" Farfarello placed his hand on one of the doors to prevent it from closing.

"By the time I leave, I'm sure one of his little visions will kick in." Schuldig pushed away Farfarello's hand. "Until then, keep it to yourself." Schuldig smirked behind the closing metal doors. _How can Crawford stand that man? I've got better things to do than watch Takatori plan his stupid party. But now that I think about it, a party is just what I need._ Schuldig strode out with a name in mind. If there's a party in Tokyo, he knew just where to find it. Club X2.


	7. Mission 02 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 02 Verfolgung - Chase (Crimson Crusade)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-01-01

* * *

"Manx! I knew it you'll come back! My bed is waiting." Yohji winked at Manx seductively.

"Business only, no pleasure," Manx said coldly as she stormed past him to the lower den.

"Manx, you got more information about that team?" Ken asked hopefully. His brown eyes trailed down to stop on the folder she held in her hand. His mouth formed an O when he realized it wasn't so.

"Mission." Aya saw the folder as well. Manx nodded. Manx inserted the cassette tape into the television and Persia immediately appeared.

"Weiß, your new mission is to kill Kaito Kiyoshi. Kaito has a long psychological history of pedophilia and a criminal record of statutory rape. However, he is protected from the law since his underground connections keep him out of prison. He runs a private night club called Club X2 where he seduces young females within his territory. It is used as a place for human trafficking. Tokyo's female population is endangered. White Hunters in the dark, hunt the tomorrow of the dark beasts!"

The television clicked off, sounding loud in the tense silence. Manx walked to the front of the room and faced the four men. She gave them one look before asking, "Weiß, is it safe to say you're in?"

"I'll do it," Aya agreed first, thinking ridding the world of men like Kaito would be another step in protecting his little sister when she awoke.

"There are some sick people out there." Ken thought of the images of the mutilated girls in the video. "If we don't do anything, more will suffer. I'm in too."

Yohji was thinking of the images of the victims as well. Inside he was absolutely furious but on the outside, he was the same old Yohji. "I can't forgive him for destroying such beautiful women. I'm in."

Omi added, "I won't be left out of this. Weiß is accepting the mission." Manx handed him the stack of papers to peruse.

"Club X2 is far from us," Yohji said, reading over Omi's shoulder. "A half hour away maybe if traffic is light."

Omi's voice sounded sheepish. "The club."

"What's wrong, bishounen?" Yohji asked. "Afraid of the number of girls you might pick up?"

"It's age restricted," Omi pointed out.

Yohji reread the report. "So it is! It looks like Omi's out of luck! Just one more year before you could think about getting in!"

The disheartened mood didn't last for long. Omi was already plotting. "I'll figure something else out," Omi replied brightly.

"More girls for me." Yohji smiled, anticipating the Tokyo's night scene. It had been months since he had enough free time to even step into a nightclub. But Yohji did wish that it was not a mission that would bring him back into one. But he couldn't pick and choose this time.

* * *

From the parking lot across the street, Jade and Kirei watched Nanami and Kayla enter under aliases. The four kept in periodical contact through the use of cell phones and their team's telepathic link. Jade failed to acknowledge the black car turning into the parking lot because of the crowd around the door.

Schuldig parked his car, well technically Crawford's -but he'll deal with that later-, and turned off the engine. The glare from the street lights reflected off the hood. He could hear the music pouring out from every crevice of the large building across the street. Schuldig cracked open his mental shields, sampling the thoughts of the unseen crowd. Schuldig got out of his car, exhilarated at thought of the night ahead.

The large neon blue X2 above the doors of the club was a bright beacon, guiding people dressed in their wildest clothes to the doors. Schuldig easily got through the crowd. He threw a mild telepathic command at the bouncer so he could pass through unmolested.

Club X2 consisted of five floors. The lower three floors were for the club and the top two were for renters by the hour, a cheap love hotel. The scent of perfumes and colognes, perspiration, alcohol, and cigarette smoke created an erotic atmosphere.

Schuldig placed his drink order at the bar immediately. After downing the liquor, he threw himself bodily on the dance floor. His mind warped into a radar, picking intriguing thoughts from the people around him and sorting them for useful information.

Three women invited him to dance, attracted to his flaming red hair. Schuldig grinned in excitement when they surrounded him. The distraction was welcomed. After all, he only planned on dancing tonight. The four of them moved to the fast music, surrounded on all sides by a hundred different people.

From the entrance doors, three men got in after a brief inspection of their clothes and identification. One grumbled about the guards not knowing a bishounen when they saw one.

"Yohji, give it up already," Ken commanded over the voices of the wild crowd.

Aya looked around warily. The scene around him was causing him to become claustrophobic. He could see people around their age just grinding on the dance floor. The faster he could kill this man, the faster he could get out of this place.

* * *

In the biggest suite in the whole club, a man was washing his bloody hands. He checked himself in the bathroom mirror before walking out. A fond smile formed on his face. But his thirst demanded fresh girls. The waiters, bartenders, and guards were helping him keep an eye on things while he made his conquests.

But before he could do all that, he needed to take care of his current trash. They were sensual in bed. Just thinking about their supple bodies made his blood rush to his lower regions. Kaito turned at the soft knock on the door. "Take good care of them," Kaito said with sincere concern for their well-being, gesturing to the bodies before the guards. The guards quickly obeyed his command. They have been through the routine many times before and knew what to do without a word of direction from their employer. The two men proceeded to remove the women's unconscious forms from the club's premises. The cleaning service entered to redo the room for the next selection of victims while he went back to the lower levels. He stood against the railing, ignoring the couple groping each other in the dark corner behind him, as he scanned the crowd for new conquests. His eyes immediately fell on a redhead but upon closer examination revealed he was a man.

 _Pity. If I were gay, he'd be perfect_ , Kaito thought sadly, inspecting the almost feminine features of his target's face. He saw the two other men beside the redhead after they began talking. They too were exceptionally attractive in their own ways. Maybe they came together. Suddenly, the group of three looked up and met his gaze to his surprise.

A cold shiver of surprise ran up Aya's spine when he saw their target studying them. "He's up there," Aya said somberly, nodding his head towards their target.

"Where?" Ken searched the general direction but too many people were hidden in the haze to distinguish their target.

"I see him," Yohji said darkly, becoming all business after the target was located. "He's moving away."

People dressed in all colors and styled blurred together like a twisting mosaic as the neon lights added varying shades of color to the smoky atmosphere. Kaito prowled through the upper floors, tasting the hormones riding on the smoke.

"There're two girls who's been asking for you," a waiter told Kaito. The waiter pointed towards the VIP bar. The area around them was cleared as if no one dared to intrude on their space. Kaito's curiosity was aroused.

"He's coming towards us now," Kayla informed the others before she closed her cell phone and placed it inside her messenger bag. They would resort to telepathy now.

They waited for Kaito make his appearance, something Kayla had foreseen on their way to Club X2. It made their job much easier if all their targets approached them. Nanami forced her body to relax, accepting the fact she had to entertain the creep.

 _Visual contact with target has been established_ , Kayla reported to the others outside, gripping the team's link tightly to prevent outside influence.

 _Proceed to terminate target_ , Kirei replied briskly. She had recovered from Jade's refusal, sitting alert inside the mission car beside the leader.

"How may I help you?" Kaito smiled charmingly at them. He was a handsome man and charismatic when he needed to be. It aided him over the years in gaining the trust and adoration of his victims.

"You're Kaito Kiyoshi?" Kayla smiled seductively. "The owner?"

"I am. And you two are?"

"Looking for a good time," Nanami replied smoothly, leaning against the counter. "We heard this was the best club in Tokyo." Nanami smiled brightly on the outside while on the inside she was screaming in anger. _Damn this! I hate being bait! Stupid bastard better not try anything or I'll fry his ugly ass!_

"I see my club's reputation proceeds itself!" Kaito's smile widened. "But please who are you?"

"Kirsten," Kayla supplied the foreign name easily from shimmering lips. "This is my friend Natalie."

Kaito appraised the two. Nanami's black top exposed flawless porcelain skin. Black strings crisscrossed up her bare back to end in a knot at the base of her neck. She concealed her senbon holders along her forearms under the shirt's flowing sleeves. She also wore a black miniskirt with side zippers over metallic silver fishnet stockings and knee high black stiletto boots with buckles. A teardrop shaped sapphire jewel on a silver chain necklace was the only jewelry she wore along with a pair of tinted glasses.

Kayla borrowed a pearl white halter top with spaghetti straps -courtesy of Kirei- for the night. She possessed a deep chest, narrower waist, and wider hips. The shirt clung tightly to her body, threatening to show more than was decent. She had on black leggings made from a shiny material over black pumps. A rhinestone clip held up her wavy hair but the teardrop shaped jewel on a silver chain around her neck was a real diamond.

"Lovely names for two lovely ladies," Kaito finally replied, wondering how long it would take before they would come upstairs with him.

"Care to spend the night in our company?" Kayla asked coyly. Despite her shy invitation, she draped an arm around his waist, thrusting one hip against Kaito's. Nanami smiled flirtatiously, thinking that their target had no way out.

* * *

While Karmesinrot Rache was in the middle of their mission, Schuldig was still in the middle of his fun. It was not until his mind picked up two thoughts that changed his purpose for the night.

 _Visual contact with target was been established_ , a female said. Schuldig stopped in his tracks, searching the crowd for the female speaker. _Proceed to terminate target_ , another younger female replied quickly. Schuldig doubled his efforts.

 _Who said that? Someone's getting killed tonight_ , Schuldig thought as the brief conversation broke off, ending his efforts to trace the thoughts. Schuldig opened his mind, bracing for the barrage of a hundred minds. _Don't think you can hide from me._

* * *

Weiß finally found their target in the crowded room. Yohji saw him first and relayed the information to the others. "Kaito is leaving with two girls," Yohji reported to Omi outside through their communicators.

"They might be in danger so you should follow them," Omi's voice came back over.

"They're going upstairs," Ken reported, eyeing Kaito and his two guests. "They just entered an elevator." They waited for the next elevator to come for them. After getting in, Omi was ready with new information.

"The elevator goes up the fourth and fifth floor," Omi informed them. "Kaito has a suite on the fifth floor."

Weiß exited the elevator just in time to see Kaito enter a room with the two girls. "Hurry!" Ken urged the others down the hallway. The sight of guards around the corner made the team stop dead in its tracks. Ken snarled, "Bombay, he's inside but has two girls he can use as hostages. There's also two guards outside. They're not a problem but I don't want them warning Kaito."

Omi frowned unseen. "I'll cause a distraction! You go on my signal!"

Weiß waited for Omi to make his move, hovering by the elevators out of sight of the guards. From the air chutes, Weiß heard laughing and music from the club below them.

* * *

Jade scanned the highest floors for Kaito's personal suite. She gripped the hilt of her no dachi to hide her impatience. The sword was leaning against the car door within her reach. The grip reassured her slightly but the mission was taking too long.

 _We have Kaito isolated_ , Kayla said in Jade's head. _We're to terminate the target within two minutes._

 _We'll meet up outside_ , Jade replied in relief. She started the car's engine. The red beast pulled out from the parking lot to hide behind the building.

* * *

Schuldig stopped in place when the sensation of a mental conversation brushed his mind again. The feeling was indescribable but familiar so he knew it came from the same people.

 _We have Kaito isolated_ _._

Schuldig snatched the fragment, running his powers through the mental link. To his surprise he found it to be strong, comparable to the one he wove for Schwarz. Whoever had the power of telepathy wasn't a novice at using it. _Eszet?_ He wondered about the origins. Schuldig frowned. It was possible that not every psi-talent was Eszet trained. Possible...but unlikely.

 _We'll meet up outside_ , the second mind answered the first. Schuldig smiled, now knowing where to look.

* * *

The polite conversation became business when Kayla asked about the history of the club. When Kaito poured drinks for his two guests, Kayla checked her messenger bag while she spoke with Jade. Kaito offered the glasses to them. Nanami and Kayla pretended to sipped them.

"Will you escort me to the bathroom?" Kayla asked. She stood with a smile, raising her hand for the man to take it. Kaito guided Kayla to the large bathroom, leaving Nanami in the room. Nanami walked to the window. She pushed the curtains aside to see the red mission car down the street with its headlights off.

"Unfortunately the view isn't as good as I would prefer it to be," Kaito said, coming up behind her.

"It's okay," Nanami replied blandly, dropping the curtains. She could feel Kaito's breath on her neck. Her hands clenched in reflex in response to his intrusion on her space. Nanami turned around, body and facial features hardening. "So what other pleasures you indulge in?" Nanami asked coldly as she walked past him. She crossed her wrists and felt the hidden needles. The bathroom door reopened for Kayla's exit.

"You changed!" Kaito exclaimed with surprise at Kayla's full gear, diamond necklace, sunglasses and all.

"You like?" Kayla asked, playfully as she stepped out, keeping her hands hidden. "I brought this just for you." Behind them, Nanami slipped on her own pair of sunglasses and pulled out three needles behind Kaito's exposed back.

Sudden sparking from every electrical outlet caused everyone in the club to cringe. The electricity in the club shut off completely after Omi's rewiring. The club was thrown into darkness and confusion.

"Go!" Omi commanded Weiß to charge through the door. It gave way under the force of three bodies as Weiß forced their way through.

Kayla and Nanami moved away together, keeping to the side. They recognized the appearance of Weiß. Yohji's wire came free of his garrote with a soft, musical whine before it whipped around the body of their target. Kayla gaped at his swiftness. Kaito gave a grunt of surprise when he couldn't move.

Kayla quickly recovered. _We got a problem up here_ , Kayla sent outside.

 _Those guys from last night are here_ , Nanami added darkly at their sudden intrusion. She took aim at Aya. Were they here for Karmesinrot Rache or the target? She didn't know.

 _We're coming_ , Jade replied quickly, the car roaring to life outside.

The lights flickered briefly and then turned back on, allowing Weiß to see Kaito standing still in confusion. "Who are you?" Kaito asked the three men. Aya pulled out his katana and dealt with Kaito. He fell, spitting blood from his mouth from punctured organs. There was no doubt he would died on the ground within minutes.

"Fuck!" Nanami cursed at Weiß. Well _that_ answered her question. The team had taken their kill. Kayla's hand on her shoulder stilled her.

Weiß looked up and finally noticed what the two girls were wearing. "Karmesinrot Rache!" Yohji gasped.

"Karmesinrot Rache?" Omi sounded shocked. "I'll be right up!"

"Don't move!" Nanami ordered the three brusquely, raising her weapons to show them she was serious.

"What are you two doing here?" Aya asked, walking closer despite the danger he was facing.

"It doesn't matter anymore," Nanami snarled at him. Weiß had the advantage in the room since they blocked the door. She wondered if they were allowed to kill them on sight.

 _Panther? Orders?_ She requested of her leader.

 _Panther! Reinforcements would be good now_ , Kayla thought steadily. She notched an arrow into her bow, wondering which one should die first if Weiß attacked.

"Why in hell are they here again?" Jade asked her companion, irritated at their reappearance in their work.

"We're going to have a problem if we keep running into them like this," Kirei pointed out. "How are we going to get them out of Kaito's suite?"

"I've got an idea," Jade said sharply, consciously omitting the fact it was a very risky idea. But she parked the car right below the window, nearly on the sidewalk. Chimera chose this convertible to be their new mission car so she hoped to put it in good use.

 _We're outside the window! Jump!_ Jade ordered as she opened the convertible top.

Kirei gaped at her idea. "Are you _crazy_?" she yelped.

"Desperate," Jade replied without a blink. "Which is the same thing in this situation."

Schuldig had been searching the crowd near the entrance doors when he heard the frantic message sent to Karmesinrot Rache's leader. _Panther_ _?_ Schuldig repeated. He turned around to see if he could visually see this unknown girl. A red car caught his interest when it drove past him. Schuldig's green eyes shone in victory. "So there you are." Schuldig stared at the red car intently when its roof began to roll backwards. He was certain it was where the telepathic link originated from. Before he could move, the sound of breaking glass caused him to look up. The shards of glass twinkled in the streetlight around two falling girls.

Jade and Kirei ignored the impending hail of glass after the window broke above them. Lacerations could be dealt with later. "Make it! Make it! Make it! Make it!" Kirei muttered.

Nanami directed a gust of wind to clear the larger glass shards from around them and slowed their descent noticeably. The two girls landed in the backseat with a small grunt.

"Hang on!" Jade said to the three girls as she floored it.

"Damn!" Schuldig ran towards his car. The adrenaline moved his body to the car within seconds. Soon the black BMW turned out of the parking lot, Schuldig at its wheel. Schuldig watched the two make it into the car safely after slowing in _mid-air_. He had no trouble recognizing their abilities after Rosenkreuz's intense training to detect psi-talented people. His quarry had become much more interesting.

By the time Weiß made it outside the front door and through the crowd, they saw Karmesinrot Rache drive away. "Bombay!" Ken breathed a sigh of relief when Omi pulled up in Aya's white Porsche.

"Move over!" Aya ordered Omi into the front passenger side.

Karmesinrot Rache's pursuers were unnecessarily dedicated. "They're behind us!" Kirei gasped in awe. Weiß's white car pulled into their lane.

"I know that!" Jade bit off as she made a sharp turn. "I'm trying to lose them!" Jade got her bearings straight after glancing at the street signs. She sped down the street, running through a red light. She ignored the resulting sounds of brakes squealing but didn't hear a crash to her relief.

"Go faster! Doesn't this car have some kind of turbo jet propulsion system?" Kirei asked frantically, searching the dashboard and consoles hastily.

"Do I _look_ like James Bond?" Jade shot at her as she sped through another intersection.

"No but we should still have a turbo jet propulsion system!" Kirei shot back at her but she stopped searching. She twisted around in her seat to stare at the white car of Weiß.

"We'll stick a damn note into Chimera's suggestion box later, okay?" Jade replied hotly.

"Still behind us," Nanami informed her tensely, watching the white car gaining on them.

The car chase continued, although only one person was aware there was an extra car. Karmesinrot Rache's car sped down a ramp heading towards a highway trying to outrun Weiß. Aya was determined to find out the truth. Who knew when the two groups would meet up again? Aya wasn't going to let this chance slip through their fingers. The three cars swerved in and out of the highway lanes dangerously.

"Fuck!" Jade cursed. She was forced to the left, nearly knocking off the rear bumper as the red car cut it severely close to the large green van behind her. The van's horn blared angrily, braking. Jade let off a string of mixed curse words in English, Japanese, and Mandarin.

Weiß's car managed to avoid a similar situation without sustaining damage to their vehicle. Aya drove, switching between offensive and defensive, as he followed the red car in front of him.

"Can't you drive faster, Aya-kun?" Omi asked, worried.

"I won't lose them," Aya vowed. He followed the red car onto an exit ramp. The enemy's car crashed through a barricade ahead of them to turn down the resulting street.

"So you're Panther?" Schuldig tailgated the white car ahead of them. "Looks like someone else is chasing you too." Schuldig followed Weiß's car, the wheels crushing the broken wood formerly the barricade. He kept his eyes on the Porsche. This whole night has been fun. Now things were more interesting as Schuldig stumbled onto a new mystery.

Jade kept driving, making random turns here and there, trying to shake Weiß from their trail. "Panther! They're shooting at us!" Kirei screeched. Omi opened the window to lean out, aiming his crossbow at them.

"Shoot back, both of you!" Jade ordered Nanami and Kayla. The two hurried to obey. Short streaks of silver flashed from Kayla's bow. Nanami released exploding fireballs at Weiß's tires.

Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß played a deadly game. Suddenly the females' car swerved after its rear right tire blew out. Kirei screamed when the car began to swerve wildly.

"Got them!" Omi cheered for one of his dart puncturing Karmesinrot Rache's tires. Another quick shot destroyed the stability of the car when the left rear tire popped. With both rear tires out of commission and smoking, the red car spun off the road and onto the sidewalk.

Aya drove straight past them and braked, spinning his car around just to see the red car stop by slamming into the side of a building, metal and glass flying everywhere. Before Weiß could get out of their car to inspect the occupants, Karmesinrot Rache had ditched it to run. "After them!" Aya ordered, hopping out of the car. Weiß disappeared before just Schuldig stopped near the two abandoned cars.

"What?!" Schuldig growled in annoyance. He scanned the empty streets. The links to Panther's mind were cold. The unfamiliar surroundings ruined his ability to single out the woman. "I almost had them!" Schuldig realized he was gone long enough from his leader's side. "Crawford will have a fit if I didn't return his car." Schuldig scowled, responsibility directing his hands and feet to drive the car back home.


	8. Mission 02 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 02 Verfolgung - Chase (Crimson Crusade)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-01-01

* * *

Karmesinrot Rache had no clue what part of Tokyo they were in. Jade had lost track of the street names by the time their car crashed into a building. But they needed a plan and they needed one fast. The men of Weiß were surprisingly very fast runners with incredible stamina.

 _They are still not giving up_ , Kayla thought as she could See Weiß behind them in her mind. Their steady footsteps created from their different pairs of shoes told her Aya was leading, Yohji closest to his back, and Ken and Omi side-by-side.

 _I don't like persistent men_ , Nanami thought as she looked back quickly to judge Weiß's distance.

 _Nor do I_ , agreed Jade wholeheartedly. Jade and Nanami were matching each other perfectly, stride for stride as they ran behind Kirei and Kayla.

 _We need to lose them or fight them_ , Kayla analyzed their options rationally.

 _I never run from a fight_ , Nanami said firmly.

 _So let's start one_ , Kirei laughed in her mind.

 _Some place where no one can interrupt us kicking their ass_ , Jade added. They didn't want to have the law or civilians interfere. Karmesinrot Rache kept going for another block before they found a suitable location to face Weiß.

"They went into that parking lot right there!" Omi panted through a dry mouth when he saw the four girls vanished. Weiß made a quick turnabout after catching sight of the team entering an elevator headed straight up to the roof level. Weiß waited in tense silence in the second elevator, each one anticipating the rematch. The elevator doors opened to reveal Karmesinrot Rache with their weapons drawn.

"The joyride ends here," Jade broke the silence in a grave voice. As the leader, she wanted to obliterate the opposition before Weiß became dangerously involved with their organization.

"Who are you?" Aya asked of the team again.

"You beat us and we'll tell you." Kayla laughed at the persistent make. She held her bow confidently, listening to their breathing with highly tuned ears.

"We will," Ken shot back at the girl. Kayla only shrugged at him. _His breathing is slowing down_ , she noted mentally of the opposing team. Karmesinrot Rache attacked.

"Back again, I see." Kirei laughed at Omi. Her powers caused him to struggle once more to shoot her with his darts. "Don't shoot your own team this time." Kirei chuckled as one of the darts went wild.

"I'll try not to." Omi aimed a dart at Kirei's head. Kirei lowered her body to the ground by extending her legs into a split, dropping like a graceful gymnast. She recovered with a twist of her body to spin around his next flurry of darts, weaving through their paths sinusoidally.

"I'll give your three free shots and then I'll get serious," Kirei offered. "I won't even count that one."

"Don't underestimate me!" Omi shouted, aiming carefully. _No wonder she's called the Dancing Killer_ , he thought grimly. Jerky and sharp movements were never made by those expressive limbs.

Kirei choose not to reply nor retaliate until Omi's freebies were done. "One," Kirei counted Omi's arrows. Omi studied Kirei and tried again, shooting of one arrow and then another at a different angle so two of them converged on Kirei at once. "That's two and three." Kirei leapt gracefully out of the way. Omi gulped when Kirei's demeanor turned from playful girl to full assassin mode. "These shukusen want another taste of your blood." Kirei waved the fans elegantly, showing off the green beacons of death.

The blades swished musically through the cold night air, getting closer to their target each time. Omi still couldn't see the blades at all because Kirei kept them hidden cleverly. He dodged the attacks with every ounce of energy in his system.

Ken lunged at Kayla in a straightforward attack. Ken didn't think things through. He wasn't that sort of person. When left alone, he allowed emotions to run amok so direct attacks dominated his offensive. Kayla's footwork kept her clear of Ken's angry claws. "Catch me if you can!" Kayla laughed at him teasingly, eyes shining at the image formed in her mind of Ken's struggle. She smiled at him encouragingly. "You can do it! Just keep trying!" Kayla cheered, listening to the futile sound of the bugnuck's slashes.

"Don't patronize me!" Ken growled loudly as he swung again and again. Kayla shot an arrow at him. Ken's eyes widened and jumped out of the way. He didn't even see her take out the arrow!

"That was a close one!" Kayla remarked.

Ken jumped back up on his feet to circle around her. "It was," Ken agreed.

"Can you dodge again?" she asked him curiously.

"I'll tr-" Ken's reply got cut off to dodge the three silver arrows screamed towards him.

"Don't worry. Those weren't aimed to kill," Kayla reassured him.

"Thanks." Ken aimed for an upward slash but Kayla blocked with her hanyku. "As a favor I won't try to blow us up this time," Ken quipped.

"Oh for the love of God, thank you!" Kayla replied, obviously much relieved.

Nanami and Aya circled each other seriously. Neither one had the desire to lose to the other. Each one intended to pay the other one back for previous injuries. "You've been following us too much. You need a hobby." Nanami parried Aya's sword with her needle.

"Hn." Aya answered with a swift katana attack.

Nanami threw four needles, each one embedding itself onto the ground where Aya had been if Aya hadn't jumped back out of the way. "That leg must be hurting you." Nanami observed when Aya landed on the ground with a grunt of pain.

"No more than your arm," Aya replied frostily. Nanami responded with a scowl and a storm of needles. Aya seemed to be having the upper hand in their fight; he came at Nanami without pausing.

Yohji kept his eye on the girl across the roof. Jade kept a good distance between the two of them. "I believe you owe me a new pair of sunglasses," Yohji reminded calmly. The wire snaked silently across the distance.

"I'll send you a check," Jade shot back.

"I'd rather take yours," Yohji replied smoothly, this time ensaring her right arm. Jade grunted at the wire's painful bite. Yohji reeled the struggling girl in.

Swinging her no dachi in a circle, Jade severed the wire. She raised a hand, catching the tip between thumb and forefinger. Yohji attempted to follow her movements but he found his arms pinned down with his own wire. Jade wrapped its length around him multiple times. She stopped right behind him. "I don't think it's you," Jade murmured huskily into his ear.

Yohji could only struggle against his bonds. "Shit," Yohji grunted, eyes twitching from the pain when the wire cut into him.

"Uh uh uh," Jade teased, pulling the wire tighter against him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I'm sure you of all people know how dangerous that can be." Jade leaned in closer to speak with him. "So why are you big scary men stalking us innocent little girls?"

"You go figure it out!" Yohji replied harshly.

"I will," answered Jade slyly. Her mind seeped into Yohji's to skip across the surface of his consciousness. "Hm. I see you smoke. You shouldn't do that. It can kill you."

"Like you won't?" Yohji shouted at her. His voice was ignored by his teammates. They had their own troubles to take care of. "Shit." Yohji swore again when he realized he actually needed help if Jade wanted to kill him.

"Well, I don't want you to die." Jade smirked. She added in sadistic amusement. "Not yet anyway. Know what? I'll be nice and even help you quit." Yohji tried to give her his best "Aya" glare. Jade ignored his feeble attempts to intimidate her when she clearly had the upper hand. "I already know why you're after us," Jade said seriously.

"What are you talking about?" Yohji gasped.

She began to circle him, keeping her prey from escaping. "Should I do this the safe way or the fun way?" she purred, pressing her blade against the creases in his forehead.

"Wait!" Yohji demanded fearfully in panic. His beaded sweat rolled down Jade's no dachi.

"As you wish." Jade retreated, feeling waves of relief come off Yohji. Yohji watched her move, the hems of her leather coat sparkling red from the lamplight. "I know other more entertaining methods to play with my prey," Jade said coolly, still toying with him.

Yohji became furious. "You bit-" Yohji's verbal attack became cut off when Jade reached up to remove his sunglasses from his face. "Give it back!"

"You've got good taste," Jade remarked in surprise. She studied the sunglasses, ignoring the fighting around her. "Much better than some of your teammates," she commented, looking over at them. At her words, Yohji finally diverted his eyes towards his team, wondering why in Hell were they taking so long?

Nanami knew she was running low on her weapons. "Damn!" Nanami cursed when her supply finally ran out. When she looked up, Aya was charging her with his katana ready. But Nanami received the brutal attack by bringing up her left arm to shield herself.

"What?" The word escaped when Aya's sword hit the arm only to hear the sound of metal against metal in the night. Aya brought down his katana again and again, causing Nanami to backtrack in defense. Nanami blocked all of Aya's slashes with her left arm. The katana shredded through the thin fabric of her shirt to reveal a shiny vambrace.

"Give it up, you're weaponless," Aya grunted as he continued attacking Nanami mercilessly.

"A good assassin is never weaponless. But you wouldn't know that," Nanami spat coldly. She back flipped out of Aya's immediate range.

Aya hissed in surprised when a fireball appeared in the palm of Nanami's hand. "You're a demon!"

"What did you just say?" Nanami's angry voice rose in pitch. No one called her a demon and lived. Aya gasped at the onslaught of fire. Between dodging the fire and the physical attack presented by Nanami, Aya was becoming worse for wear.

"Abyssinian!" Omi gasped, forgetting about Kirei. A ring of fire formed around Aya's feet. Nanami raised the fire past Aya's head.

"Abyssinian!" Ken shouted when the heat reached him.

"Raven!" Kirei shouted at the girl. Nanami ignored her, concentrating on keeping the flames from touching the man inside but just enough to scare him.

 _I'm not killing him_ , Nanami stated, a smirk seeped into her mental reply.

 _Same old Raven always putting on a show for our benefit._ Kayla smiled behind Ken's back.

"Abyssinian!" Yohji shouted, afraid for Aya's well being.

"Don't move," Jade snapped at him. "Who are you?" Jade asked Weiß.

"We won't tell you!" Ken shouted at her. Kayla aimed her arrow at his throat. Omi watched Kirei warily but dared not to move.

"I suggest you answer. All that fire burns on oxygen. How much air is in that tornado? How long has… _Abyssinian_ , was it…been in there?" Jade asked them coldly.

Yohji glared at Jade hatefully thinking _,_ _Damn her. She's a total bitch!_ But the male team kept their silence in the face of the enemy.

Jade heard his thoughts but let it pass. "White Hunters." Her remark caused a scene. Yohji's mouth worked out incoherent words. Ken swore. Omi gasped. "Don't lie to me!" Jade shouted angrily. "I can rip this all out from your mind, turning you into a drooling mindless lump of skin and bones if I wanted to!" The proof was how she knew their team name. "One-two-three," Jade ticked off rapidly, pointing to each man in turn, "what's your name?"

Omi swallowed the lump in his throat before answering, "Bombay."

"Siberian," Ken said nervously.

"Balinese." Yohji glared at the girls, sending them his hate.

"And the pretty boy stuck in Raven's tornado is Abyssinian," Jade mused. "I told you I had more entertaining ways of getting information out of you."

 _That's enough_ , Nanami relayed to the rest of Karmesinrot Rache. _I can't keep this up without doing some serious harm to Abyssinian._

"You got lucky, Weiß. We'll be back to collect your due." Jade returned Yohji's sunglasses to his face and patted his cheek playfully, like large cat would with a live mouse.

"Follow us and he dies," Nanami shouted. Weiß watched their retreating backs and dared not to do anything to endanger Aya. Yohji continued to struggle against his own wire and managed to loosen it enough for it to fall around his feet.

As soon as Karmesinrot Rache reached safety, the fire dispersed. Aya collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air but otherwise alright. The others helped him remove the heavy leather coat. It was hot to the touch but not scalding.

"They got away," said Aya. It was not a question.

"I'm sorry," Omi apologized for the others, holding onto Aya's leather coat. Aya didn't answer as Weiß lost Karmesinrot Rache again.

"Let's go home," Yohji said wisely.

"No." Aya stalked towards the elevator.

"They're gone, Abyssinian. Long gone by now." Omi ran up to him.

"We can still catch them," Aya said forcefully. Weiß resigned, following him wordlessly to the elevator and going back down. Weiß ran back to their car. Everyone wasn't surprised that the red BMW was no longer there.

"Abyssinian?" Omi asked quietly. Aya wordlessly got into his car and started the engine. Weiß got in quickly before Aya decided to leave without them. Aya drove in silence. _The next time we meet, I won't lose to them again_ , Aya vowed. He was the one who got trapped by Karmesinrot Rache. He was the weak one in this fight against that girl.

 _That's twice we lost them_ , Ken thought, staring at the back of Aya's head. _No wonder Kritiker's having so much trouble finding information about Karmesinrot Rache. They don't stick around after a fight._ Ken sighed, slumped against the seat.

Yohji turned to look at him when Ken slouched beside him but turned away again, lost in his own thoughts. _Aya's mad at himself. No surprise there._ Yohji needed a cigarette so bad, he was getting a headache from the lack of nicotine in his system. He searched for his box of cigarettes, patting his pockets for the pack he knew he stashed there. "Where are they?" Yohji muttered. He sat upright to search better. His lighter was also missing.

"What are you looking for?" Ken asked, turning his head.

"Cigarettes." Yohji found nothing in his pockets for the second time. He then remembered Jade's sly words in helping him quit his smoking habit. "Panther," Yohji groaned. The girl had swiped his cigarettes and lighter. "Damn her," Yohji sent her a curse as the headache intensified.

"Yohji-kun?" Omi asked, worried something was wrong.

"I'm fine," Yohji lied, leaning his head against the window. The cool glass numbed his headache slightly.

Omi turned from Yohji after the blonde had found another method to relieve his headache. He watched Aya drive with a lump in his throat. _So far neither of us has been ordered to fight each other directly, just meeting up by chance. But how long until that changes?_

* * *

Kirei whooped joyously, seeing their trail was clear. "This was some night." Kirei reached over towards the dashboard console to open the convertible top. She felt like enjoying the sweet smell of victory tonight.

"Don't!" Jade grated out, clutching the steering wheel. "The car's already messed up enough as it is so just _don't_."

"Fine." Kirei sighed in rejection. She glanced over cautiously to confirm her worst fear. Jade was in one of her moods again. It must have been triggered by the sight of Karmesinrot Rache's car.

"Tonight was close," Kayla remarked, stroking her hankyu. She was tired after the adrenaline left her system now the fight was over.

"It was _too_ close." Nanami emphasized, leaning forward in the small gap between the driver's seat and passenger's. She scowled. "Why do they always show up?"

"If Panther would have read their minds and found out earlier, we wouldn't be wondering," Kayla said softly, almost under her breath.

"I didn't feel like it." Jade's voice was tense as her rigid body. "As long as we completed our mission, Weiß shouldn't matter."

"Should you tell her or should I?" Kayla whispered to Nanami carefully.

"I'll do it," Nanami replied quietly. "We di-"

"DIDN'T COMPLETE THE MISSION?" Jade whirled around in her seat to stare at the both of them. Her eyes went wide after reading their memories before narrowing into slits. Her team failed at a mission!

"Now she feels like reading minds," Kayla said to Nanami bravely despite Jade's loud swearing.

Jade faced the front again to vent her disbelief. "We didn't kill that bastard ourselves!" Nanami and Kayla looked guilty. Jade growled through clenched teeth. "We didn't get to kill him for what he's done!"

"What's Chimera going to say?" Kayla asked of the group. Kirei blanched at the mentioning of their employer. She nudged Kayla, telling her to stop her train of thought before Nanami took it on herself to join Jade's rage.

"Gah." Kirei groaned when Nanami jumped on the name.

"I don't know about you," Nanami replied sharply, "but if he gives me one more bullshit lecture about slacking off, which I don't do, I'll kill him."

"Panther?" Kirei asked tentatively after Nanami had her say. Jade didn't answer her as she continued driving them home.

Jade was relieved to make it home in one piece. It was a battle to keep the car moving in a straight line without attracting unwanted attention. They had taken the back roads where the sparking from the metal wheels wouldn't be seen by passing motorists. The ride was unbelievably long, silent, and full of negative feelings concerning their mission's outcome. They were all dreading their next meeting with Chimera and his reaction.

Another problem everyone was too scared to mention was Jade's foul mood. The two missing tires shouldn't have bothered her enough to make her snap at them like that. However, she kept her feelings and thoughts bottled up tight. Kirei, Nanami, and Kayla got out of the car when they reached the safety of their residence.

"Are you coming?" Kayla asked, concerned for her friend. Like Kirei, Kayla too had a mentor and guardian. Jade was the one who was responsible for her needs, at home as a civilian and on the field as an assassin.

"Give me a minute," Jade replied in a flat voice, not moving from the seat. She sat there for that one minute as the others waited for her to get out. When it became apparent one minute did not mean that, Kirei took the initiative to speak again.

"See you inside then," Kirei said softly before they all walked away. Once again, Jade didn't answer, choosing to continue brooding over their failure.

The three members of Karmesinrot Rache exited the garage, leaving their friend alone with her dark thoughts. Nanami took off her sunglasses, finally able to become Nanami once more, not Karmesinrot Rache's Raven. Kirei and Kayla felt the same way. Kirei took off her sunglasses too and then the emerald necklace, both given to her by Chimera himself as he did to all of Karmesinrot Rache. The tear drop shaped jewel was symbolic, both in color and shape.

Tears fallen from the weeping eyes of humanity in grief.

Kirei had an emerald on a silver chain, Nanami's pendant held a sapphire, Kayla's a diamond, and Jade's an amethyst. Karmesinrot Rache wore these necklaces during missions in reminder of who they're fighting for. Not for themselves or for Chimera but the good willed people of the world.

The sound of an engine turning over filled the hallway between home and garage. The garage door motor hummed as it opened, releasing the caged creature inside to restlessly prowl through the city.

"She's gone," Kayla murmured sadly. Kirei bit her lower lip and ran towards the front windows just to see the black Lexus drive away.

"She'll be back," Nanami reassured the two younger girls. She could understand where Jade was coming from. Everyone needed time alone sometimes. "She always comes back." But her words were hollow. She knew Jade better than the other girls. Nanami couldn't hold Jade responsible but it was hard to forgive her actions. _How can you leave at a time like this?_

"But how long?" Kirei sighed. "When Jade leaves like this, sometimes she doesn't return for days!"

"I don't think even she knows." Kayla looked depressed.

Nanami walked away with a bitter taste in her mouth. There was nothing they could do until Jade chose to return. For now, they needed to write their mission report.


	9. Mission 02 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 02 Verfolgung - Chase (Crimson Crusade)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-01-01

* * *

Her driving took her on the dirt paths to the forest region around the city. Inside her head, Chimera's mission files kept replaying in her head over and over again. It crashed against the headache created from the use of her powers until she could no longer see the road clearly.

 _What are we if we can't beat Weiß?_

Jade parked her car on the side of rocky path with an exhausted sigh. It had stopped being road miles ago. It was companionship driving her away from her team. Their bodies, personalities, and thoughts crushed her barriers when she tried to merge their powers with hers. To recuperate from the stress, she left them before they could see her weakness.

"I cannot be weak," Jade said to the emptiness with unrivaled conviction. To be weak was to die. Jade sat there, running gloved hands over the sleek interior of the vehicle. Chimera's missions dictated an absolute outcome. Karmesinrot Rache must kill the target without fail. Their presence must be like the wind. Invisible. But Chimera would know of their failure. Somehow he always knew.

Jade yanked off her sunglasses and threw them onto the dashboard to reveal a worn spirit dwelling in violet eyes. Then she reached into her pocket to remove a pack of cigarettes and lighter. She threw them onto the dashboard as well. The line between Panther and Jade became more blurred with each passing day. Maybe even nonexistent.

"I wanted you dead, Kaito Kiyoshi. I wanted to see you dead myself. I won't be happy until all men like you die." The rustling trees outside dropped leaves onto the car but Jade didn't notice. What she did notice was her passenger door opening. She turned to see a tall, middle-aged man with black hair wearing a thin leather jacket and gray pants slip into the front seat.

"Secrets locked away always comes back to haunt you, Panther," the man said softly as he closed the car door. "Chilly out tonight," he remarked, shivering slightly. He studied her. His purple eyes, several shades lighter than hers, showed familiarity and concern. "Out alone again, I see."

"Stop stalking me," Jade huffed as she locked the car doors to keep any other intruders out of her car. "How'd you find me?" Jade snarled at her handler.

He smiled despite Jade's hostile tone. "I'll stop stalking you if you stop reading my mind." The sincere smile never wavered. Jade fought the urge to confess freely under his gaze. "What's wrong?"

"You're our boss. Shouldn't you already know?" Jade snapped, bristling at the man who trained her in handling her abilities.

"You're absolutely right. I should know everything. What in the world was I thinking?" the man replied cynically. "I'm so sorry, Panther. I'm useless and should be fired."

"You should."

"Fine. I'll leave you alone then." Manticore unlocked the side door.

"Weiß," Jade said softly. Manticore clearly was surprised. He asked Jade to repeat the name. "Weiß." Jade said again, enunciating the German word. "Assassination team Weiß," Jade turned to him. "Ever heard of them?"

"No," Manticore honestly replied. But somewhere, a hand gripped his mind and whispered, "Weiß. White Hunters. Kritiker. Persia's team." The power relaxed. Manticore swallowed a grimace at the intrusion.

Jade didn't notice. The power of the true Chimera was completely accurate and under her iron rule, invisible to those it was not meant to touch. "Well, they screwed up our mission tonight." Jade punched her steering wheel to show her frustration. "They killed Kaito before we could."

At this, Manticore frowned. "How?" he asked. _Why is Weiß interfering with Karmesinrot Rache? Why didn't Chimera foresee this?_ Manticore refocused. Now was not the time to think about Chimera. It was the time to deal with Weiß.

"Tonight was the second time we met them. We went after Sasaki and they were there. We went after Kaito and they were there too. They killed Kaito before Raven and Falcon could terminate the target. If you're a good boss, then find out about them."

"Got anything else on Weiß?"

"They're four males," Jade recalled. "Abyssinian, Balinese, Siberian, and Bombay are their respective codenames. Abyssinian was their leader."

Manticore raised his brow inquisitively, sensing Jade's reluctance to divulge more. "I'll research Weiß and get back to you if I find anything," Manticore concluded his decision. "Do you have anything else for the complaint department?"

"Our car," Jade replied sheepishly after a moment of guilty silence. "Weiß ruined it."

"What happened to the car now?" Manticore sighed. His four girls trashed their car way too many times for his liking. He knew sometimes it was avoidable in their line of work but even with the wealth they had accessed to, the repair bills were putting a dent into his funds.

"Both rear wires shot, dents and scratches on both sides, and I do believe it's missing one turbo jet propulsion system." Jade listed quickly.

"I'll see what I can do," Manticore said, curious at the quirky ending.

"When you will be back?"

"It depends." Manticore shrugged, unlocking the car door. He was positive his mental shields were at their fullest during the entire conversation with Jade. His thoughts before he exited were thankfully private. _It depends on how much I need Karmesinrot Rache to know about Weiß._

"Fine. I can live with that."

"Good girl. But you won't live long if you start smoking again." Manticore gestured to the cigarettes and lighter, smiling as he got out of the Lexus.

"I don't sm-," Jade growled. The car closed before she could finish her retort. "Stupid Chimera." Jade reached over for the pack of cigarettes and opened the box, taking out one. The familiar scent of tobacco was intoxicating but she kicked that bad habit along with many others much worse than a simple cigarette. She played with it, rolling it between her fingers before she crushed it in her gloved palm. She opened the window and tossed it out along with the box itself. She stared at the lighter on the dashboard and picked it up.

 _The lighter I'll keep._ Jade flicked the lighter on. The orange-blue flame danced in her hands. She released the switch and the flame disappeared, leaving the faint sweet scent of lighter fluid. Jade slipped the silver metal canister back into her pocket. She sat there alone, thinking for the rest of the night.

* * *

Schuldig swaggered into their apartment below the offices in Jigen's main building. He knew who was waiting for him. The strut in his stride didn't falter at meeting Crawford's cold glare. "Schuldig," Crawford said from his seat on the sofa in the waiting room.

"Crawford," Schuldig replied in the same flat tone. Farfarello and Nagi weren't around. They were smart and decided to go to bed before Schuldig got home to avoid any blame being tossed around.

"You took my car," Crawford said simply, ignoring Schuldig's mockery. Schuldig was right. Crawford did get a vision of the car theft just as Schuldig left the building. It had annoyed him but Crawford was a master of his feelings so no one knew his true feelings except for him.

"Aren't you going to let me talk?" Schuldig stopped, leaning against the sofa casually.

"Don't you mean explain?" Crawford asked the German.

"No," Schuldig replied coolly. "That would imply I did something wrong in the first place."

"Fine, talk." Crawford studied Schuldig intensely while thinking, _He better have something worthwhile to say._

"I met some interesting people tonight," Schuldig started off. Crawford waited, letting Schuldig have his little power trip. Schuldig liked to draw things out if he had something others wanted. "I also heard some interesting things tonight too," continued Schuldig.

"Get to the point, Schuldig."

"Panther." Schuldig tried to read Crawford's expression as he said the word but failed. His thoughts, the same results.

"Panther?" Crawford asked with a carefully guarded face.

"You heard of her?" Schuldig asked his leader.

"No. Tell me more," Crawford responded steadily.

"That's all I know. Panther," Schuldig repeated.

"Leave then," Crawford ordered him.

"I thought so." Schuldig smirked. That one name got him off the hook with Crawford and his dear car. Schuldig exited the office, leaving Crawford with his own thoughts.

After a moment, the American bodyguard got up to turn off the lights in their living room. In the darkness, Crawford studied the Tokyo skyline with an unreadable expression on his face. _So it's confirmed. Karmesinrot Rache is in Tokyo._

* * *

Manticore knew Chimera was guiding him back to their base. The others were waiting on his report. The man plucked at his clothes, straightening the collar of his dress shirt and smoothing away the creases as he walked through completely dark halls to their meeting room. His steps were sure but the confidence was borrowed. Only a few knew the path through the darkness without feeling fear. Manticore hated to admit that he was not one of them.

After an unknown length of time and distance, he stopped by Chimera's invisible command. The rest of the way was up to him. Now his own practiced feet took him onwards. The solid wall became a door and he entered through the rectangular hole to see three men sitting at a pentagon table.

"Manticore, you're here." Minotaur's deep voice rumbled from the depths of the large chest. Manticore sat, nodding to his subordinates.

As the four private faces of Chimera, there was still rank among them. The cunning Manticore led the team who posed as Chimera to the four girls of Karmesinrot Rache. Minotaur, Raven's recruiter and instructor, was his invincible bodyguard. He was a man built of muscle held together by distinguished patience contrasted by kind black eyes, always in a crisp black business suit.

The others were of a normal size. Typhon, the genius scientist/engineer, reinvented the definition of life at the low of his career. His work of art still lived on, evolving beautifully with each passing day. The disheveled-looking man, wearing a lab coat over two day old clothes, gave Manticore a weary look. "You've got orders from Chimera, I presume." His voice was tired too. He always had trouble maintaining a healthy sleeping schedule. There were few spare minutes in his life and he spent most of them at work.

Manticore nodded again. "Karmesinrot Rache met Weiß on the field. Chimera's orders are to maintain close surveillance on Weiß until we can destroy Persia in his founding city."

"Weiß is merely one unit of Kritiker," Minotaur said grimly. "I have my own orders about them. The Tokyo Board of Education lists Bombay's enrollment under the pseudonym of Tsukiyono Omi. The Takatori empire lost their youngest heir to Kritiker."

"Chimera ordered Cyclops to be accessed twenty-four hours through Atlasnet since Karmesinrot Rache's arrival to Tokyo." Typhon looked worried. "Viper may notice the increase in electrical activity emitting from her body."

"Make sure she doesn't," Manticore ordered. "Cyclops is an important tool. We cannot under any means lose control over it."

"I know that," Typhon retorted irritably. "I'm just concerned she will develop a fever from the residual heat of its operation."

"Karmesinrot Rache can handle fevers." Manticore held Typhon's eyes with his own. "What they cannot handle is the truth."

"What about you?" Manticore turned towards the last man.

Griffin, youngest of all four, in a striped blue-green dress shirt tucked in blue jeans, smiled with open friendliness. "I am the contact."

* * *

Kayla sat cross-legged on her bed, home alone when she heard the doorbell ring. "Chimera's here already?" Kayla asked herself as she got off her bed. She was studying her textbooks and notes in Braille, reviewing the things Jade taught her at home. Jade home schooled her ever since she joined the team. Kayla quickly entered the code on the home security unit beside the front door to temporarily shut off the system. A man of average height and build in his mid twenties, casually dressed in jeans and a light blue polo shirt stood on the doorstep. He peered over the rims of his sunglasses to reveal clear blue eyes.

"Long time no see." Griffin smiled kindly at Kayla.

"You're telling me," Kayla huffed.

"Why do all of you treat me so badly?" Griffin asked her, smiling wryly.

"What'd you mean?" Kayla asked, confused.

"I saw Panther last night," Griffin said.

"Is she coming back soon?" Kayla asked hopefully.

"She's not back yet?" Griffin wasn't too surprised to hear that. "I thought she'd return by now."

"Well she's not." Kayla sighed and then moved, allowing Griffin access into the room. "Come in." She gestured. The two sat down in the living room. "Business, I see," Kayla remarked after Griffin dropping an envelope on their coffee table.

"Had a vision of me coming?" Griffin raised an eyebrow, taking off his sunglasses to reveal light blue eyes.

"Nine sixteen this morning." Kayla replied matter-of-factly.

"As least your skills are as sharp as your arrows."

"Tell me why you are here," Kayla ordered her boss.

Griffin scoffed but obeyed. He tapped the white file with the KR symbol stamped on it. "This is what Karmesinrot Rache needs to know about Weiß. Go through this only when all of you are together."

"Why do we have to wait?" Kayla asked, reaching down until she felt a flat plastic case through the thin paper.

"Panther will be back soon. Wait for her. That's all I'm asking."

"Fine," Kayla agreed. "We'll wait for her." Kayla pulled away from the file. "Anything else I shouldn't do?" Kayla asked.

"No, that's it." Griffin shook his head. "Show me the car," he said, standing up and dusting his hands off. Kayla grimaced as she remembered the damage the car underwent. "It's that bad, huh?" Griffin judged by her face.

"What did Jade tell you?" she asked nervously.

"Both rear tires gone, body damage, and something about it missing a turbo jet propulsion system." Griffin smiled, amused by her descriptions.

"Oh." Kayla made another face. "Jade wasn't technically lying since all that is true but…"

"But?" Griffin looked at her in dismay.

Kayla fumbled for words but decided it was best if Griffin saw for himself. She gestured towards the garage. The lights automatically turned on as the hidden door slid open. "See what I mean?" Kayla asked from behind him.

Griffin didn't answer. He stared horrified at Karmesinrot Rache's car. The red BMW looked like it had suffered through a lot and now needed to be shot. He evaluated the damage closely. "Rear tires gone, rear bumper hanging off, body looking like someone took a mallet to it, both side mirrors missing, windshield and windows cracked, and I don't even want to think about how it looks under the hood," Griffin muttered to himself. Bracing himself, he opened the hood of the car and paled. It was just too horrible to describe.

Kayla laughed nervously when she sensed he glared at her. Kayla stammered but finally came up with an excuse that cleared her of all blame. "I wasn't the one driving," Kayla reminded him as she was unlicensed because she was blind. The country of Japan wasn't going to give her a valid license based on her claim of having extrasensory powers to make up for that.

"You're right about that. But seeing this, I'm glad there're only _two_ licensed drivers and not _four_. Four times the amount of damage." Griffin sighed dispiritedly. Typhon's mechanics will have a field day with the repairs. He closed the hood. "My business is complete."

Kayla followed him out to the front door and saw him off. "Hey, Chimera?"

"What?"

"Are we getting a replacement car?"

"I'll think about it. I'm being too nice giving you your own team car when Raven and Panther has their own," Griffin replied, rubbing his temples.

"Um, if we do get one, can you make sure it does have a turbo jet propulsion system?" Kayla asked, smiling nervously. Griffin grimaced at the suggestion, glad Kayla couldn't see it. "You'll think about it?" Kayla called out as Griffin got into his own car. "Okay! Bye!" Kayla called out as he drove away.

Hours later, Kayla had another reason to go downstairs. "Jade!" Kayla cried happily. She trampled down the stairs when she heard the garage door open and close. With Jade's return, she felt the foundation of the team was solid again.

"Hey," Jade replied dully, her purple wraparound sunglasses back on her face by the time she entered the house.

"You're home." Kayla gave her a tight hug while Jade just stood there, unmoving.

"Don't I always come back?" Jade asked tiredly, waiting for Kayla let go. Kayla studied Jade, concern welling inside of her. She was pale, listless, and Kayla knew those sunglasses were hiding the dark circles under her eyes caused by sleep deprivation. "Going to bed, Kayla," Jade told her. She went upstairs, her black leather duster hanging limply off her tall slender frame.

"Okay." Kayla said softly. She heard Jade shut her door. _She probably locked it too_ , Kayla thought as she returned to her bedroom. _Oh! I forgot to tell her about Chimera stopping by!_ Kayla thought of waking Jade up but decided against it. Jade needed her rest after last night.

The files were discovered by the others after Jade made her recovery. "What's this?" Kirei asked as she picked up the white file folder Griffin had left for them.

"Chimera came while you were out!" Kayla suddenly remembered to tell them. Kirei tore into the folder. "It's about Weiß."

Jade walked into the living room with a white card in her hand. "The mission car's gone." She was displeased at something.

"Did Chimera give us a replacement?" Nanami wanted to know.

"Just this." Jade held up the paper.

Nanami read it out loud. "I'll bring the car back after it's fixed. Until Panther and Raven learns to take better care of the car, take the bus. Signed, Chimera." Kayla and Kirei laughed heartily but Jade and Nanami didn't find it funny at all.

"Chimera said he met with Jade last night and she told him about Weiß so here it is," Kayla explained.

"Play it then," said Nanami. "The more we find out about Weiß, the better. Weiß is dangerous."

The Karmesinrot Rache symbol appeared with four dots going over the red letters in green, blue, violet, and white. Karmesinrot Rache sat down to enjoy the show. "Karmesinrot Rache," Chimera started, figure shadowed and voice digitized.

"See? That's what I don't get. We've all seen him in person and he still does that old cheesy black and white detective show scene with us," Nanami remarked.

Jade smirked. "I gotta admit that I love that robotic voice of his."

Kirei and Kayla were laughing so hard they leaned on each other for support while Nanami shook her head at them. Chimera's voice continued on. The girls settled down immediately after Jade gestured for quiet.

"Weiß are under the control of Kritiker, a Japan-based organization. Their leader is Persia, head and creator of Weiß." A picture of a shadowed man sitting behind an office desk with the window blinds closed behind him flashed onto the screen. "Weiß's informant is Manx." A clear picture of a tall redhead in a red dress suit appeared beside Persia.

"Weiß's base is located in Koneko No Sume Ie, a flower shop in Tokyo. Weiß itself is composed of four male members. Abyssinian, Bombay, Siberian, and Balinese." The screen is suddenly filled with four separate images, one of each member of Weiß in full assassination gear.

Suddenly the one of Abyssinian overtook the screen and information scrolled upwards beside the picture.

"Abyssinian is the leader of Weiß. His birth name is Fujimiya Ran but calls himself Fujimiya Aya. Abyssinian is twenty, an assassin since he was eighteen years old. Fujimiya Ran joined Kritiker in Sendai with former teammates Shion, Kikyou, Tsubaki and Kuroyuri at eighteen. He left Sendai Weiß to join Tokyo Crashers as Rook. After circumstances involving with his Crashers teammates, Fujimya Ran changed his name to Aya and now leads Tokyo Weiß with new teammates Bombay, Siberian, and Balinese. Abyssinian's chosen weapon is the katana."

Suddenly the one of Abyssinian was replaced by Balinese and his statistics. "Weiß's Balinese. His real name is Kudou Yohji. Balinese is twenty two years old, the oldest of Weiß. Balinese joined Kritiker and Weiß after the death of former private detective partner, Murase Asuka. His chosen weapon is the garrote."

Balinese was replaced with Siberian. "Siberian. His real name is Hidaka Ken. Siberian is nineteen. He joined garrote after his banishment from the professional soccer league, J-League under the suspicions of drug abuse and gambling on his own games. The accusations have yet been cleared by the police. Siberian's chosen weapon is the bugnuck."

The final and youngest member of Weiß appeared and Karmesinrot Rache watched his file replace Siberian's. "Bombay. His birth name is Takatori Mamoru but for reasons unknown is now Tsukiyono Omi. Bombay is seventeen, the first recruit of Tokyo Weiß. Bombay is the estranged son of Takatori Reiji and has two older brothers named Hirofumi and Masufumi. He chosen weapons are the crossbow and darts."

Karmesinrot Rache remained silent through the briefing. They waited for Chimera's further orders.

"Karmesinrot Rache. If Weiß interferes with your mission, you are not to engage them in combat. Their survival is a relevant part of our goal. Kritiker can be an ally. Your assignment is to collect information about Kritiker. Our agreement stands. Crimson beasts, devour those who commit injustice and make them the prey of tomorrow."

Chimera's voice lingered in their minds. Weiß was not to be terminated at all costs.

"So they must live." Kirei murmured, glancing at Nanami. She was startled to see a small smile of satisfaction on her face. Before she could ask, Jade moved to block her line of vision. The smile vanished by the time Kirei saw Nanami clearly again.

"They got lucky, that's all." Jade replied, going through the stack of papers in the file folder.

"But how lucky?" Kayla asked, pulling the conversation towards their orders. "If we're not supposed to kill them, we're working with them?"

"No. Karmesinrot Rache doesn't work with anyone. We're independent," Nanami said firmly.

"She's right. After all, we're crimson beasts who devour those who commit injustice and make them the prey of tomorrow," Jade said softly. "But this will be difficult. We have to gather information about Kritiker without detection."

"We'll manage." Nanami stood up. "We always have."


	10. Mission 03 Rennen - Race

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 03 Rennen - Race (Dead Last)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-04-01

* * *

Karmesinrot Rache ate, slept, and lived together, creating a near normal schedule with the exception of two new missions to sharpen their teamwork. If one didn't count that, their home life was stabilizing in Tokyo.

However, Jade's intuition told her to expect a turbulent storm to ruin the calm they achieved. She could already feel it approaching, like the moist winds scattering the leaves before a hurricane.

Kayla solved calculus problems at her desk under Jade's daily guidance, oblivious to Jade's inner thoughts. Her voice swept over Jade, startling the older girl. She had asked Jade to check her answers. "This look right," Jade read the equations on the computer after Kayla's Braille-based computer system translated the figures she wrote on her electronic notepad. Everyone in Karmesinrot Rache could read Braille with their sense of touch but it was just faster to have numbers instead of dots. "Try the next five problems for me?"

"Okay," Kayla agreed easily, picking up the silver metal stylus again. She went back to work diligently without a complaint. Kayla was dedicated in her studies. It was easy to teach the hardworking girl. As Kayla scribbled away with her computer analyzing her writing, Jade couldn't help but wonder about her teammate's encounter with their boss.

"Chimera hasn't changed his mind, has he?" she asked.

Kayla replied evenly without looking at Jade, "His orders are always absolute."

"But to leave Weiß alive?" Jade freed her crossed legs, throwing them over the edge of the bed. She stood to pace behind Kayla's chair. "It doesn't make sense. We're assassins!"

Kayla's sightless eyes rolled towards the ceiling in exasperation at her friend's impatience. In a gentler voice, she soothed Jade's worries. "Chimera will explain everything later." Kayla gave Jade an encouraging look.

"Like Hell he will," Jade scoffed at Kayla's effort. Chimera's practice of withholding information in every mission resulted in Nanami's and Kirei's job to figure out the crimes of the target after their composition of the mission report. "One of these days…" Jade trailed off, stopping by the window to glare at their neighbor's homes, trying to see through the buildings for Chimera's residence.

"You'll kill him," Kayla finished Jade's favorite heartfelt vow. "But think about it." Jade turned to the girl with questioning eyes. "This may be recon before the mission."

Jade's mouth twisted. "The order to kill better come soon," Jade said darkly. "It'd better."

* * *

Nanami and Kirei marched through the halls of the local high school. In the information packet about Weiß, Chimera attached Bombay's academic records. Since Karmesinrot Rache was in Kritiker territory, Kirei would be enrolled into the same high school as the youngest assassin with the goal of discovering the reason why he was Tsukiyono Omi and not Takatori Mamoru.

Nanami and Kirei created two new government profiles for themselves to assimilate into society with some creative thinking combined with hacking skills. Kirei became a transfer student whose host family moved to Tokyo in the middle of the semester. Kirei walked in, nervous as any new student thrust into an unfamiliar environment, to the school's main office with all papers and medical records in hand.

Her Japanese wasn't perfect but she knew enough to answer all the questions the staff imposed on her. Nanami answered the remaining questions as Kirei's "legal" guardian in the country, posing as the older sister of the pretend brother who went to the United States in Kirei's place. Nanami milled in the lounge until a secretary led Kirei away to her new homeroom. When Kirei left her sight, Nanami resumed her share of the reconnaissance by driving to Magicbus Hospital to check out their security under their employment as an intern.

Omi's daydreaming was rudely interrupted by a swift jab to his side from a fellow classmate. He returned to the real world in time to hear his teacher in mid-sentence.

"-make an announcement," he said grandly. Omi blinked away lingering daydreams, wondering what prevented the class from learning, not that the other students minded. "We have a new student today. Please welcome Kakumei Kirei-san to our class."

Kirei, dressed in plain white shirt and a pleated gray skirt, walked calmly through the door. The uniform wasn't Omi's school. She hadn't had time to buy the proper outfit before arriving for her first day. Omi's eyes widened at the girl when she showed her face to the class.

"My name is Kakumei Kirei. I'm seventeen years old. It's a pleasure to meet you." Kirei bowed elegantly to everyone after the customary introduction. Kirei gazed at the faces of the students before her with mild unease. Today was her first time in an official Japanese classroom. The class stared with intense interest, drowning in the sight of curly, amber hair and hunter green eyes framed by long lashes. Kirei smiled shyly at the class, sensing their wonder.

"Kakumei-san, please take the seat by," Fuji glanced around the room for an empty seat. "Tsukiyono-kun," he decided. The boys revolted quietly, shooting jealous looks at Omi as Kirei slid into her new seat. The rest of the homeroom period flew by. Kirei kept her head down when their instructor took his leave. "That's all. I will see you at lunchtime!" Fuji told them, packing his things. "Remember to pay attention in your other classes," he called out before the bell's musical ring declared the end of homeroom. The lag in classes presented the students four minutes to talk to each other. The closest to Kirei introduced themselves before politely interrogating her.

"What school did you come from?" a girl asked, leaning over to Kirei's desk. "Did you move to Tokyo or something?"

A second student offered, "Would you like to have lunch with us?"

"Would you like to date me?" a boy asked her boldly from across the room, half joking, half not.

"Takeshi-kun!" The girls slapped his arms playfully since he asked a girl out on a daily basis.

"It was just a question. She doesn't have to agree. Unless you want to, do you?" the chastised youth, Takeshi, asked hopefully.

Kirei played the part of an intimidated student well, cringing visibly away from the verbal onslaught. She looked at everyone from lowered lashes, wondering whose question she should answer first. "I came from Kobe with my host family."

Omi noticed her discomfort after catching her eye. A silent plea for help passed between them. He turned to his overbearing classmates to say firmly, "Stop scaring her! Give her some breathing room."

The remainder of the break did not involve her directly. Her classmates chattered over her head until the arrival of their history teacher. Kirei tapped her pen against the desk in boredom, listening to Sanada lecture about the Imperial families. Kirei stifled a yawn through her worst subject. She doodled until history ended. When she saw the chance, she gave Omi an appreciative smile to thank him for his effort.

* * *

Magicbus Hospital's gray-white exterior was an eyesore to the girl who hated everything owned by Kritiker. It was Nanami's task to gather the information inaccessible through the use of the computer about the police hospital. She was an employer garbed in a light green scrubs underneath a white lab coat. If anyone stopped her, she only had to show the ID on the lanyard around her neck.

"Ah, I knew it." Nanami tried the last of locked doors of the building's filing rooms. She noted the types of keys and electronic identification systems mentally. When she got home, she would use her resources to identify the security systems.

"Are you lost?" a voice asked. The woman had a frown on her face after catching Nanami at the filing rooms' door.

Nanami turned, flashing a fake nervous smile. "Yes I am." She paused, feigning uncertainty. "I think," she added meekly. "Ishida-sensei told me to bring him the patient files for this afternoon. I don't know why I can't get into the room."

The doctor's frown vanished to be replaced by understanding. "Oh, you're Ishida-sensei's summer intern." She smiled at Nanami. "You still need to get an access card from Personnel. But if you need anything from these rooms for now, just knock and someone on duty will open it for you." To illustrate her point, the worker flashed her own access card before swiping it through a rectangular machine. The door unlocked with a soft click.

"I didn't know that." Nanami bowed her head gratefully, following the woman's lead into the room. _Now I do_ , she thought smugly, counting workers manning the computers. A guard checked their IDs before allowing them to stay. Nanami paused by the work schedule, memorizing names and shifts.

* * *

Jade's homemaker skills were the best of the four, an attribute the others teased the crass leader about on occasion. After an inventory of their food stores, Jade kicked the refrigerator door close, juggling bread, sandwich meats, and lettuce in her hands. She needed to go grocery shopping before their refrigerator dropped in the red zone.

The leader cooked, cleaned, and killed in the same way: efficient and fast. Every now and then, an impulsive flair would pop up to reemphasize the girl's skills. But today, Jade kept the flair and attitude under wraps. There wasn't anything she could do about it with their options so limited.

"Oh, what good deeds have I done," Kayla said from the doorway when the tart smell of mayonnaise reached her nose, "to receive sandwiches for lunch?" Kayla gave Jade a warm smile, she was merely teasing.

Jade returned a wry one as Kayla washed her hands at the sink. "I know that was sarcastic." Jade scolded lightly. "Bordering on it but still sarcastic."

The two girls ate in the kitchen, pouring their attention on past missions between bites. They searched for possible mistakes in "what if" situations until they covered all aspects of the circumstances if they were not careful. They looked over the mission documents to collaborate on the mission report.

When the last of the report was typed up, Jade brought out the files of their new enemy. Besides the array of photographs, the papers were in black and white. Jade flipped through them until she found the one for Abyssinian. A small snapshot of him in a green apron was stapled in the corner. "Fujimiya Ran has a sister named Fujimiya Aya in Magicbus Hospital," Jade read out. She marked it with a note for future reference. "I hope Nanami has that place covered."

Kayla frowned at the name. "Magicbus Hospital is hard-core Kritiker territory," Kayla commented thoughtfully. "It's also a private police hospital."

"If Chimera wants us to destroy Weiß, his sister might be a useful as a bargaining chip." Jade tapped the image of a smiling Fujimiya Aya. "The leader's reasoning will be compromised when she's in our hands." Jade's guts twisted after a silent thought, _That is_ if _he actually cares about her._ Some people didn't give half a damn about kin. Jade was from an entire family of them. But Abyssinian didn't seem like the type. His teammates cared for his life enough to give out valuable information when their leader was trapped in Nanami's ring of fire.

"Jade!" Kayla cried loudly. "You can't possibly think of using a comatose girl as a bargaining chip." Kayla glared at her. "You can't! That's not very fair!"

"I will if Weiß is wrong," Jade said firmly. "Kayla, it's not about fair when you deal with Chimera's targets. If everything was fair, we wouldn't be assassins! Our targets would be properly prosecuted and in prison!" Her words didn't appease Kayla. The blind archer still glared at her stonily. "I would never hurt the girl-" _Neve_ r, she thought firmly. "-but if things get desperate, you know what must be done." Jade understood where Kayla was coming from but Chimera wouldn't. "What have I always told you?"

"The mission is what matters," Kayla repeated in dark tone. Suddenly she pushed her plate away. "Jade, I'm going to my room."

Jade studied her friend intently with a tiny frown on her face. The best thing she could do was give Kayla time to accept her words. "I'll clean up."

Kayla walked out wordlessly, taking the cold atmosphere with her. Jade dropped her eyes back to the image of Fujimiya Aya, bursting with life before she was imprisoned in her hospital bed.

 _I know you're thinking the worse of me_ , Jade fingered the thick edges of the photo. _I don't even have to read your mind to figure that out._ Without any effort, the purple-haired girl's smile pressed itself into her memory. _But I made an oath to myself I wouldn't let any person suffer for another's pleasure._ She gave up on the reports. Her concentration on her work broke. Kayla's self-imposed isolation stung. Jade used the restless energy to clean the large house vigorously until everything looked brand new.

* * *

The cool weather gave the high school a chance to save money. Most classrooms opened their windows to invite the playful winds indoors. Those near the windows had a harder time concentrating on the lecture.

Kirei stifled a yawn behind the English teacher's back. English was her first language so the lessons in grammar didn't interest her. Kirei felt another yawn escaping her mouth. But she clamped down hard, destroying it to listen to her teacher's announcement.

"This English project will be done in pairs." Yamamoto strolled around the room with a bright smile on her face. "The first draft of the report will be turned in next Wednesday." She paused by a student who failed to hide his groan of dismay. "Yes, one week." She glowed with anticipation. "The end result will be worth 30% of your semester's grade," she said with enthusiasm. She continued on as if she was handing out Christmas presents. "You will have a partner because this project takes effort. I expect a ten page paper with a brief presentation comparing and contrasting one American and one Japanese author on this list for the final draft. Your first draft should be three pages and I want to see _sources_ , everyone."

The class stared at the papers filtering from the front of the classroom. The list of authors and their assigned partners were already decided. Kirei snuck a glance at the boy in front of her, wondering who he'd gotten as a partner.

"Thanks," Kirei said when Omi turned around to give her the stack.

"You're welcome." Omi returned the smile before facing forward.

Kirei lowered her gaze to find her name written in katakana. "Shit," she muttered in English. She had trouble reading the names of her classmates. The kanji had always tripped her up, especially the ones used for Japanese names. But the name listed beside hers was familiar. She had spent the last day staring at it. But her partner made the first move.

"Kakumei-san."

"Eh?" Kirei looked at him with a blank expression. "What is it, Tsukiyono-san?"

"You're my partner."

Kirei acted startled. "Oh!" She giggled, pointing to Omi's name. "I guess we are, Tsukiyono-san." She poured her attention on the paper, reading the names of the Japanese authors. She recognized none of them. The katana used for the English writers were easy to read phonetically but hard to put together. "Je-Jefuri- Chaseru _?"  
_

"Can you read kanji well?" Omi hadn't had a chance to talk to her again after the first interaction. He honestly didn't know what to expect of her. "We're studying Akutagawa Ryunosuke and _Geoffrey Chaucer_."

Kirei couldn't help her wince from forming. "It's that obvious?"

"Do you want to meet at the school library after class to work on this project?" Omi asked gently.

"That's fine with me," Kirei agreed.

Omi was glad inside. It was a neutral environment with adult supervision. Yohji would never stop teasing him if he brought a girl to his apartment. Her body language, personality, and inviting manner drew people to her as friends. Already, she was a popular girl in class just because she was foreign. Before the week was up, she would have the names, emails, and cell phones of almost every classmate. The boys were dying to get hers. As she gained their trust, she gained information about Tsukiyono Omi.


	11. Mission 03 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 03 Rennen - Race (Dead Last)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-04-01

* * *

Kayla sat in front of a neat stack of textbooks on her messy bed. She completed the homework for this week and did half of the assignments for the next. With the homework done, she had nothing to prevent the voices of Weiß from flowing through her head. Kayla had an unnatural ability like the others. Her extrasensory powers and Sight allowed her to see the auras of the people around her. The closest comparison she could think of was a heat signature.

"It is so strange. Weiß is the guys from the flower shop. I mean I keep getting this strange feeling that they're familiar with our cause," Kayla said quietly. She stretched her cramped legs. Standing, she continued muttering her thoughts out loud. "So why does Jade think they're evil? They don't _feel_ evil."

She was sore from sitting with books on her lap. Jade told her countless times to use her desk. "That's what it's there for!" Kayla could hear her mentor scolding in her head but Kayla liked her bed even though her muscles ached afterwards. Kayla took a walk around the house, touching objects along the way to refresh her memory of their placement. She went to the downstairs where Jade was still catching up on old mission reports in their kitchen.

"Damn Chimera hounding me because these are late. It's not my fault he moved us here without our say, expects us to settle in, take missions, have a life and do mission reports!" Jade complained sourly, tactfully forgetting about their conversation during lunch. "I was thinking we should go out for dinner this week. What do you think, Kayla?"

"Sounds good to me," Kayla answered, not really listening to Jade because she was washing an apple at the sink.

"Earth to Kayla, are you there?" Jade asked her friend when she noticed Kayla seemed to be off in her own little world again.

"Huh? I'm fine, sorry, was thinking," Kayla said, half-smiling at Jade who had caught her moment. Jade's effort to include Kayla in the conversation and even the extra step of eating in public was to reconcile with the archer.

Kayla knew it too. She took a seat beside Jade with a more sincere smile. To question Jade as their leader and Chimera as their boss was stupid. _Chimera is the only one we listen to_ , she reminded the part driving the girls apart. She drew the file about Siberian towards her and read it for the twentieth time. _Siberian is not our enemy. But he can be_.

"Another vision?" Jade asked, turning her chair to face her.

"No. I'm just plain out of it but I do think dinner sounds great. It's nice to get out of the house to do something relaxing," Kayla answered, looking up from the file.

The sound of Nanami's car broke the remaining tension apart. Jade stood up to get water, satisfied with her efforts. Kayla went to welcome the two.

"School is over!" Kirei's cheer echoed through the house.

"Welcome home!" Kayla replied with a giant smile. "Where's Nanami?"

"She's cleaning her car out in the garage," Kirei answered, pointing over her shoulder before she grabbed an apple out of the fruit basket on the table. "Can someone _please_ teach me kanji?" Kirei begged, gripping Kayla's hand over the mess at the kitchen table. "Today was _awful_! I couldn't follow the texts!"

"Was it?" Kayla giggled, retracting her hand and neatening the area. "Did they make you read for the class?"

"Thank God no!" Kirei scowled at the thought with the desire to kill anyone who suggests it, including her teachers. "But I really mean it. Someone needs to teach me better Japanese."

"We'll start lessons tomorrow night," Jade replied. "One of us will help so don't fret."

"We have been thinking that we go out for dinner to celebrate our success in our missions so far," said Kayla. "What'd you think?"

"Really? That sounds great! Don't ya think so, Nanami?" Kirei exclaimed excitedly. The others finally noticed the pyrokinetic was in the kitchen. Neither paid much mind though, any of them can sneak up on anyone, including each other, without even trying, so it wasn't a very shocking or frightening thing.

Nanami smiled kindly, a true smile with a tired air that for once reached her eyes. "I think going out is a wonderful idea. It's been years since I've been in Tokyo. I know of the perfect place to go as well," Nanami replied. "It's this little restaurant called Eclipse. It's rather expensive but it's entirely worth it."

"The Eclipse?" Jade repeated, mind reeling. As the only girl familiar with Japan since she was born in the country, she recognized the name. "You don't mean _the_ Eclipse, did you?" she asked in disbelief. How in the world were they going to get into the best and most famous restaurant in Tokyo?

Nanami blinked twice and then answered, "Of course I meant the Eclipse! What other restaurant goes by that name in Tokyo?" Nanami smiled at Jade who was giving Nanami one of her famous "I don't believe a word you're saying" faces. "I know." Nanami held up a hand to stop the girl from speaking and in a rather good mimic of Jade's voice, "You're going to say 'But you'll never get a reservation!'"

"Can you now?" Jade asked dubiously. Dinner was one thing, miracles were another.

"I can!" Nanami insisted. Then she elaborated, "An old friend of mine works there. He can get us in, even if it's not legal, but then again, nothing we do is very legal!" Nanami soothed their doubts away.

Jade, Kirei, and Kayla were shocked. Since when did Nanami have friends outside of Karmesinrot Rache, or friends at all? Last time they checked, Nanami didn't have friends! Well, guess they were wrong. Jade, being the most mature, recovered quickly.

"I guess then it's decided. We are going to the Eclipse," Jade confirmed. "Nanami, can you go call your friend now?" Jade asked warily, wondering who this "friend" was. Well whoever this person is, they gotta be great if they can be friends with Nanami. God knows the girl's a schizo.

"Hmm, I'll call Ryou-kun now. He's been bugging me to meet him for a while now," Nanami said, going towards their kitchen phone. At the sight of Karmesinrot Rache's blank stares, Nanami gave them a confused look. "Did I ever mention I talk to him all the time? I'm guessing from the looks you are giving me I didn't. Oops." Nanami gave them a sheepish grin. "Sorry, must have slipped my mind." Jade raised an eyebrow at Nanami, clearly saying they needed to talk later.

Nanami picked up the kitchen phone and quickly dialed a number rapidly from her memory. "Hello? Ryou-kun? It's Nami!" she said, uncharacteristically perky. "Yes, I'm back in town! I didn't mean to not call for oh, a few months. But I'm sure you'll like the news I'm about to give you." Nanami grinned expectantly but then her grin slid off her face at Ryou's answer. "Humph, if you're going to be mean I won't tell you." Irritation started to creep into the pyrokinetic's voice making her sound more like herself.

"You sure you wanna know? Hm, well you do seem to want to know. I'll tell you on one condition. You'll do it, right? Within your boundaries my ass, you can do it if I ask for it. The condition is you have me a reservation at Eclipse for four people." Nanami grinned sweetly, listening to Ryou's complaint of the timing being so sudden. "Friday night sounds great! See you then, tell Karen-san 'hi' for me!" Nanami hung up quickly, having gotten the reservation. "How does that sound?"

"Great!" Kirei and Kayla squealed excitedly together in one voice.

"Expensive," Jade replied dryly.

Nanami smiled slyly. "We all deserve to go out and have some off time. Besides, we're using Chimera's credit card."

"I'm sure this falls in the personal expenses category." Kirei smiled impishly.

* * *

 _Come on, RING!_ Omi shouted at the speakers. As if someone heard his prayers, the period ended with the bell. Kirei vanished out of the door before Omi could catch up to her. "Kirei-san!" Omi called out. Kirei turned around swiftly to find Omi about to tap her shoulder.

She smiled brightly at him. "Omi-kun!" she exclaimed enthusiastically. They spent two hours after school yesterday working in the library. She didn't expect Omi to speak to her since she already told him she was going to be busy today. The brown haired boy grinned back weakly at her. He was visibly nervous and it made for an extremely cute display. "Is something wrong, Omi-kun?"

Omi waved his hand around in a gesture of reassurance. "No, no, nothing's wrong! I was just um..." Omi struggled to find the words and his courage. Grabbing a fistful of it, he took a breath. "Doyouwanttocomeovertomyapartmentthisweekendtoworkontheproject?" he blurted out with unbelievable speed.

Kirei looked at Omi blankly, trying to understand what he said in his too-rapid Japanese. "Um, Omi-kun, not to be mean, but what did you just say? I didn't catch a word of it!"

Omi took a minute to calm down. "I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my apartment to work on the project since you're busy today. I mean, I know the project isn't due for five more days but I'd like it if we could spend some time together," Omi stated weakly. "Working," he added hastily. Inside he was nervous as Hell. He would rather be under Aya's glare than be here!

Kirei laughed nervously. "Omi-kun, that sounds great! I definitely want to get this project done correctly as soon as possible." Kirei hesitated, _How am I supposed to arrange this with Jade?_ She doubted the leader would allow any member of Weiß to gain their home address and phone number. "What's your address?" Kirei waited for Omi to scribble it on her folder despite knowing it by heart already. "I'll let you know tonight. I promise," Kirei jogged over to the bus stop, saved from facing Omi until she could work over her leader.

* * *

The door to the Koneko No Sume Ie opened with its bell chimes ringing loudly to announce Omi's entrance. A wave of girls mobbed the young teenager. He miraculously was able to reach the back door that led to the house. He walked into the kitchen where Aya took his break from the store with a book and a cup of coffee. Omi went to the fridge and pulled out everything he needed to make a snack. Aya shifted at the table to look in Omi's direction.

"Omi." So the redhead speaks. "Is your project with that girl," Aya specifically avoided saying the name, as if it was a curse, "over yet?"

Omi put a smile on. He had told the others about being in the same class as Kirei. Miraculously, all the florists remembered her group. It must have been Jade and Nanami. Those two made a lasting bad impression on the oldest two florists. "No, Aya-kun," Omi replied. "The due date is next Wednesday." But he didn't tell anyone about his invitation. He should though. _Later_ , Omi thought, observing Aya, _when Aya-kun's in a better mood._

It was obvious Aya disliked, and distrusted, the perky girl and her guardians greatly.

"Omi, Aya! We could really use a hand out here! Damn Fridays! Why must more girls come Fridays? Wait, don't answer that," Ken shouted. "Just give us a hand, will ya?!" The voices of girls rose in crescendo. Aya got up irritably.

The crowd thinned slowly near closing time. There was an air of despair around the shop. _What the hell is wrong with everyone? What's eating Omi anyway?_ Yohji was lost in his thoughts, which was a good thing since he missed the strange looks the others threw at his way when he remained sweeping the same tiny section of floor for over five minutes. _Now what's got Ken all down? He's been so up and cheery and all of a sudden, not? What the heck? Aya, well, he's Aya, what's more to say, but Ken? Come one, he's Mr. Boy-next-door-sweet-as-hell-bugnuck-wielding-assassin!_

Yohji took another look around at his comrades. They all looked pretty down, well Aya doesn't count because he's the human icicle. All of a sudden Yohji got a brilliant idea. They should go out! They've been doing well on their missions (minus the mishaps with the Karmesinrot Rache team) and they deserve a night on the town, all of them! All he had to do was play his cards right, and smirking, he knew just how to.

"Yo Omittchi?" Yohji called out in a worried voice. "What's wrong?"

Omi, who up until this point was lost in his own thoughts, looked up at the childish eldest of the four and sighed. "Ne, don't call me that _Yotan_!" He especially emphasized the detested nickname with a vengeance. "And I'm just bored."

Yohji studied Omi and nodded approvingly. _Good cover Omittchi, nicely done_. "Well if you're so bored, why not come out with me? You too, Ken!"

Ken snapped his head up at the mention of his name, not really catching what Yohji said. "Huh?" Ken asked finally. Yohji sighed, depressed or not, Ken was an airhead.

"I said why not you, the chibi and me go out for a night on the town?" Yohji repeated.

Ken looked shocked. Him, out on the town? Images of what Yohji's version of a night out on the town filled his head and all of it was totally not his style. "No way! I'm not going to a bar just to watch you get drunk! Besides, Omi's a minor! He'll never get in!" Ken exclaimed.

Yohji sighed. Ken was right, so much for his plans. But wait! They could go to some other place! "Well, in that cause…. How about going out to a nice restaurant? I got great connections-" Yohji's suggestion was cut off by Aya's voice.

"Don't you mean friends with benefits?" Aya intervened. At that comment Omi and Ken cracked up laughing while Yohji's shades slid down his nose.

"Oi, did I just hear right? _Aya_ made a joke?! Shit, today gets weirder and weirder!" Yohji tried to salvage his dignity. "Well, if you're in such a good mood too why not you come with us too, and I have friends in high places, I can get in to some of the best restaurants easy!"

He looked at the other three encouragingly, knowing they'd eventually give in to him. The shop was silent after Yohji's sincere declaration. Aya debated the alternatives they didn't have. It wouldn't hurt to go out for the night, right? They've all been pretty cranky since meeting Karmesinrot Rache. But then again, who wouldn't? One by one, they agreed to go.

* * *

The Eclipse has always been held as one of the finest restaurants in all of Tokyo for the past ten years since its inception. The staff has upheld a high standard for its service. Today was no exception to that rule. The four women sat deep in the restaurant with a breathtaking view of the night skyline of Tokyo. Nanami's friend treated them well by selecting this table for their meal.

The waiter bowed deeply, more than required, and stood up to reveal his face and the reason why he was so respectfully formal. "Nami-chan."

"Ryou-kun!" Nanami exclaimed in surprise, brightening. "You're our waiter?" Nanami said, surprised. She gave Ryou a sly grin. "Did you get demoted?"

"No." Ryou laughed loudly at the tease. "I specifically asked for this position tonight." The man was in his late twenties, a dark brunette with kind green eyes and shallow laugh lines. He was easygoing with a sparkling sense of humor. To the other girls, he introduced himself as Yagami Ryou.

The girls ordered iced drinks after Jade turned away the offer of fine wines. They settled back to enjoy a quiet night. Crystal chandeliers above the diners gave light to the ornate ceiling while fragrant candles burned in the center of the tables.

Ryou came back a few minutes later with their appetizers and asked about their history together. The girls were so engrossed in talking that they missed the entrance of a group of well-dressed gentleman seated in opposite end of the room.

Kayla's sense of smell and hearing picked up a familiar presence accentuated with the faint smell of outdoors masked by soap. _Could it be?,_ Kayla wondered, tilting her head towards the men to better listen to their conversation.

Jade touched Kayla's hand before she broke into Kayla's head. _What are you doing?_

A look filled with amused guilt swept across the round face. _You'd be interested in this conversation too_ , Kayla replied mentally.

 _Will I? Who are we looking at tonight?_ Jade peered over her shoulder. _Weiß? What are they doing here? Are they on a mission?,_ Jade inquired, pulling away in concern. But Weiß was weaponless. Could it be they only want a night to relax? _Anything good in the land of male hallucinations?_ Jade got comfortable.

 _Why are you so interested in him?_ Kayla's asked, meaning Yohji.

 _I'm not._ Jade scowled at the possibility. Fortunately, Weiß was not as perceptive as Karmesinrot Rache. They were still ordering their entrees.

From the opposite side, the four males were done giving their orders to their pretty waitress. The waitress thanked them before she collected their menus, taking the wink from Yohji along with his invitation for a date. Yohji had recommended the dishes for their table and the others hoped Yohji chose something they'd like. "Oops, damn!" Yohji exclaimed as he dropped his chopsticks on the floor. Yohji bent over to pick them up, his eyes lingering on the long smooth legs of his future date as she walked away with their order.

"I know you're a pervert but can you be less obvious in public?" Aya asked grimly, fighting the urge to blush at Yohji's antics.

"What?" Yohji gave Aya the perfect image of pure innocence. "I dropped my chopsticks. I can't eat without them."

"At least use your handkerchief," Omi said, shaking his head at the elder.

"Why?" Yohji asked, then realizing it was a trap.

"To wipe your drool off your face," Omi snickered behind his hand. Ken grinned at Omi's comment.

Yohji laughed lightly to mock the others before clamping down on his smile. "Shut up, Omi," Yohji commanded. He lit up a gourmet cigarette and began to smoke with a light heart. He was pleased despite the teasing to see the others in a cheerful mood.

The bittersweet scent of smoke filled the room quickly. Jade's sensitive nose picked up the scent. It was too much for her. "Pardon me," Jade interrupted the conversation between Ryou and Nanami politely as she could. "Where's the ladies room?" She needed some fresh air before she got the urge to smoke too.

"Allow me to escort you," Ryou bowed before pulling back Jade's chair. Jade obliged, her hand resting lightly on his proffered arm out of politeness. Their passing did not go unnoticed.

"It's them!" Ken pointed at girls' table. "They're all here!"

"What?" Yohji halted, coughing on smoke when he saw Jade and Ryou walk through the room.

Aya's mood went black at the sight of Nanami's group. The total opposite reaction emerged from Omi. A young woman approached the females' table during Jade's absence. She gave Nanami a warm hug in greeting. Jade seated herself, the newcomer introduced herself. "I'm Karen Jones Yagami, Ryou's wife." Karen bowed in proper Japanese style. "I welcome you to The Eclipse. Welcome back to Tokyo, Nanami-chan."

"It's good to be home." Nanami smiled kindly at her surrogate sister. Karen and Ryou were not family. But she still considered the married couple as such even if they weren't related by blood.

Dinner ended an hour later for the girls. Ryou brought the check. Jade left a huge tip for his hospitality. When Ryou came back with her credit card, the four girls bade his wife and him farewell. Nanami promised to keep in touch with them. Weiß were still going at their dinner, having bigger appetites. Soon Weiß finished as well and they too went home, hoping to go to bed. However, Kritiker had other plans for them. Manx was waiting inside, mission folder and cassette tape in hand.

"Manx!" Yohji smiled brightly. He raised his hand, dangling a large bag of leftovers. "Did you eat yet? We have food!"

The redhead gave him a serious look. "Mission," Manx stated bluntly. Yohji sighed, rejected yet _again_. She led the boys to the briefing room. The lights dimmed and the serious and grim Persia came on, his body and face dark as usual.

"Weiß, the target for you is Endou Yuushi. Endou runs the most dangerous street racing rings. His company deals in stolen automobile and aerial units, both government-issued and civilian-used. You are to take down Endou and gain control of his main warehouse! White Hunters in the dark, hunt the tomorrow of the dark beasts!"

Manx turned with the files in hand. "Endou races in every single race he hosts. You need to be able to identify him and kill him."

"So where's the race?" Aya asked from the couch.

"It's being held in the Juniki district on the west side of Tokyo. It's at a large warehouse lot and some canals used to ship merchandise that connects to Tokyo Bay. Endou has been preparing for this race for quite awhile. You need to register your name and a vehicle to participate." Manx handed Aya a picture of burly man dressed in a ragged, oil-stained jumpsuit. "Tano Keniichi is a mechanic on Endou's payroll. He's your first contact."

Yohji leaned across the space to pluck the photo from Aya's hands. Aya shot the blonde an irritated look. "I'll do that." Yohji told the redhead. Yohji's knowledge about gritty street races would be better suited. "Omi can find the main warehouse," Yohji said, studying Tan's photo.

"The race is tomorrow night."

"That's not much time to prepare," Ken remarked, worried.

"We've only got the information this morning. The investigation has been very slow," said Manx. "But you'll do your best under the restrictions."

* * *

Koneko No Sume Ie was open to the public once again the morning of the mission. The small flower shop was packed with customers and admirers. Omi was working the cash registers, Aya fertilized the plants, Yohji tidied the front room while Ken did miscellaneous tasks here and there.

"Good morning, Omi-kun," Ouka said, walking up to him with a big purchase of flowers.

"Good morning, Ouka-san." Omi wrapped up the flowers in paper and tied a ribbon around it.

"These are for my mother. It's her birthday today," Ouka said, touching the pink ribbon.

"Really?" Omi asked. "Tell her happy birthday for me!"

"I will!" Ouka said. "Ne, Omi-kun. Since it's my mother's birthday, we're having this party at this restaurant. I was wondering if you could be my date?" Ouka asked hopefully.

Omi fidgeted. "I have plans tonight."

"Can't you cancel them?" Ouka begged.

"I can't. It's really important," Omi said, feeling trapped against Ouka's pleas.

"Another night perhaps?" Ouka said finally, a bit disappointed.

"Hey there, Omi-kun!" Kirei popped up behind Ouka. "Wow, you're busy today!" It was eleven, their agreed time to continue researching for their English project.

"We're always busy." Omi grinned, his eyes lighting up. Ouka gave Kirei a jealous look and went away with her flowers.

"That's nice then." Kirei watched all the commotion. "So I guess you guys sell a lot of flowers even when it's not holidays."

"We get more business than other flower stores. I wonder why," Omi said sincerely. He couldn't think of a single reason why their store did so much better than other stores even with all the fans around.

"Kirei?" Kayla called out in the midst of the crowd.

"Oops! Be right back!" Kirei went back and found Kayla. "Hey Omi-kun, you met Kayla right?"

"I don't think so," Omi said, remembering her but never being formally introduced. "Hello! I'm Tsukiyono Omi!" He bowed behind the counter.

"Kayla Keough." Kayla gave a small bow since the store was so crowded.

"And this is Hidaka Ken-kun," Omi introduced a smiling Ken who suddenly appeared beside them. _Where did he come from?_ Omi thought.

"Hello, Hidaka-san." Kayla bowed to him as well.

"Just call me Ken." Ken blushed at her formality. Omi nudged him lightly and Ken's blush went away.

"Ken-san?" Kayla beamed. "Just Kayla is fine then."

"Are you two out on a walk?" Ken asked, not seeing the other two girls usually with them.

"Yup," Kayla replied. "Jade's in one of her mad cleaning fits so she told us to get out of the house while she cleans. So Kirei wanted to go on a walk and I wanted to get some flowers to start a garden."

"We have some bulbs and seeds for sale." Ken took Kayla's arm. "They're over here." Ken led her away.

"Those two hit it off quite well," Kirei remarked as she watch them walk away. "Usually Kayla don't like strangers touching her."

"Ken-kun's a nice guy," Omi replied. "Kirei-san?" Kirei gave Omi her full attention, something Omi wanted and yet despaired because her sparkling hunter green eyes could watch him screw up in front of her. "I was wondering if you want to work now?" Omi stood stiffly, mouth paper-dry.

"Sure!" Kirei beamed at the idea.

Omi's heart exploded in relief. "Great. Let me tell the others I'm going."

Kirei grasped his arm loosely. "How about you introduce me to the others?"

Omi glanced down at her slender hand around his upper arm. "O-okay," he stuttered. Kirei laughed, dragging him through the crowd towards Aya. _Not Aya-kun! Anyone but Aya-kun!_ Omi wailed internally in despair. "Aya-kun, this is Kakumei Kirei-san," he managed to say without cringing. He turned to Kirei, "That's Aya-kun."

Kirei bowed. Aya stared. He stared long and hard because Omi never got around to telling his friends about his school partner visiting the store this weekend. If Omi had, Yohji would have assisted Aya in barring all the doors and windows overnight instead of the four preparing for the upcoming mission. When Aya failed to answer, Omi led Kirei away, mindful of apologizing to Aya later if he was still upset.

"Then I'll see you later," Kirei called over her shoulder at the silent swordsman.

"Sorry about that," Omi grimaced. Yohji's introduction went better than Aya's. His heart returned to his normal pace when he finished all the formalities. It was brief because Kirei ushered Omi upstairs to his apartment. The thought they would be completely alone caused his heart to race. _God, what am I going to do?_ Omi wondered, closing the door behind them.

* * *

"I think we should be getting back." Kirei gathered her things and went downstairs with Omi to find Kayla. "Kayla, it's time to go," she said, separating Kayla from the bouquets. "We've been gone long enough."

"You're right," Kayla agreed. She gave Ken an apologetic smile for interrupting his work for over an hour. Kayla knew her presence in the store had Aya on edge.

The two fought their way through the dense crowd, grateful to breathe fresh air when they were free from the confines of the flower store. "Any luck?" Kirei turned to Kayla.

"He plays soccer at Minato Park on weekends." Kayla adjusted her satchel. "Ken-san is still interested in the sport despite the ban. I'm surprised he wasn't crushed by the news to the point of giving up."

"He doesn't look like the type to," Kirei observed.

"You're right," Kayla agreed with a nod. "Even when we were fighting, he didn't back down when I was winning."

"You were going easy on him," Kirei gave her friend a strange look. "If you were serious, he'd be dead."

"If any of us were serious, they'd all be dead." Kayla set her mouth in a straight line. "I don't want to kill them."

Kirei gasped. "But if we're ordered to-"

"I will," Kayla responded sharply. "If Chimera orders it, I will. But I don't want to."

Kirei and Kayla returned to an empty house after thirty minutes of leisurely walking. Jade was not in one of her cleaning fits. She had gone out to do reconnaissance for their mission with Nanami. The youngest girls had the task of keeping tabs on their adversaries in their absence.

"Do you think Jade and Nanami registered for the race by now?" Kayla questioned her friend, plopping on the floor of the living room. Kirei flipped through the mission folder in the overstuffed chair behind her. "It sucks Jade won't let us enter."

"Yeah," Kirei agreed, tossing the files onto the coffee table before turning on the television. "Not having a driver's licenses suck," Kirei groused over the reports of the afternoon news. "I mean we're doing worse things than driving without a license but she's just so strict."

"And so the reign of the Ice Queen of Bitchiness continues," Kayla declared, using the team's title for the ruler of the house. Kirei snorted in amusement before asking Kayla to translate the news report because Kayla's Japanese was more accurate than her own.

* * *

"I'm looking for Tan," Jade demanded boldly after she walked into the grimy auto shop. She glared at the men doing legit work on illegitimately gained cars. The stained floors competed with the stained clothes on the men before her. The smell of grease oil nearly overpowered her sense of smell.

"Who the hell are you?" one of the dirty men asked, wiping his hands on a gray towel hanging from a stool before stomping over to where she stood by the door.

"Are you Tan?" Jade snarled at him, seeing his nametag reading otherwise. "No? Then get his ass over here," she ordered brusquely to the mechanic.

"I'll get Tan for you, bitch," snarled another man in a uniform so dirty, its original color could not be determined.

"Yeah, do that. I'll get you some hot water so you can take a bath," Jade shot back without fail. Jade dressed in half her gear; she wore her wraparound sunglasses, gloves, and a plain jacket over bikers clothes instead of her mission one. She gave off an aura of danger and money to toss aside, baiting Endou's men with the concept of profit. Jade waited silently, keeping her foot from tapping impatiently with effort. But her attention didn't wander.

A muscled man in green and black strode out with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. Unlike the others, his clothes were clean. However, his state of dress didn't impress Jade since he was merely another lackey for Endou. "You here for the 62?" Tan asked suspiciously, gesturing to one of his men to step behind Jade. Jade threw a glance over her shoulder to see if the man was armed.

"Yeah I am," replied Jade coolly when she saw the man was locking the door behind her to prevent interruptions. "Can we get this over with now?"

Tan led Jade to his office. As the man pulled his chair towards him, Jade took the opportunity to check the televisions behind the desk to see all the entrances had surveillance cameras mounted around them. The crystal clear pictures told her the garage only looked run-downed from the outside but had money fed from behind the scenes. "Name and bike?" Tan's question pulled her back to the now.

"Yamada Michiko is the name with a Suzuki Hayabusa," Jade answered proudly on purpose, tossing the entrance fee of two hundred thousand yen beside the log of racers.

"Shit, those don't come out for another year!" Tan exclaimed, eyeing her with wonder. "How'd you get them?"

"They're the street prototypes from the corporation. You want them?" Jade asked, leaning forward towards the entrance list. "Make me lose." quickly scanned the list while Tan entered her name. She recognized none of them. "Natalie Anderson. Same bike." Another stack of bills fell beside the first after Jade dropped the name.

"You're both in!" Tan said eagerly, writing her friend's name down as well. "Bring your bikes and find me at the race. It starts at midnight. Show me you got what I have written here. If not, we'll take whatever you brought _before_ we kill you."

"Direct, aren't you?" Jade asked, just as bluntly. She straightened up, pulling her coat closer to her body.

"It's all business," Tan replied lecherously, looking over the tall girl's body with desire. "I wouldn't say no to pleasure though."

"I would." Jade spun on her heel, walking out of Tan's cramped office with the first stage of the mission completed. She called Nanami on her phone. "You got the location of the warehouse, Raven?"

"Viper and Falcon already have the address. They're packing supplies right now. I'm heading back to base," Nanami said. "What about you?"

"We're in the race as long as we show up with the motorcycles," Jade said, climbing into her black car. She headed home now that her task was done.

* * *

"Thank you," Yohji thanked to the gruff man. He had entered his car and Ken's Yamaha in the races.

"Find me at the race with your vehicles before midnight," Tan gave him the same spiel he had given Jade just hours before.

"Of course," Yohji replied evenly. His sharp eyes skimmed the list. "Hayabusa?"

"Yeah, can you believe it? Some bitch's racing with it."

"Gotta watch out for her." Yohji remarked. _Those are definitely stolen motorcycles_ , he added silently.

"You mean them," Tan corrected gruffly. "She registered two bikes for the race."

Yohji raised an eyebrow at his statement. Yohji needed to warn Ken of the motorcycles he saw on Tan's list of entries. He departed, heading back to the closed flower store to finish preparing for the mission.


	12. Mission 03 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 03 Rennen - Race (Dead Last)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-04-01

* * *

Karmesinrot Rache attempted to scout the area but armed guards kept the racers from the actual race course.

"Sometimes it doesn't pay to be early," Kirei complained, the boredom lacing her voice as she scrolled through names, vehicles, and faces after a hidden camera in Tan's office snapped them unknowingly.

"This crowd is huge," Kayla remarked in awe from her perch on the hood. The overlapping voices drowned her in packed waves of sound. "Too many people are together."

Nanami patrolled nearby to keep everyone else away. "Keep your eyes sharp." Nanami warned, peering through her binoculars. "Panther? When are you getting back? The race is starting soon!" she asked through their communicators.

Weiß was having a similar problem in their search for their target. They were grouped together around Yohji's car and Ken's motorcycle with competitors pressed against them.

"You see anyone resembling Endou?" Aya asked the others.

"Not a one," Omi replied in distress.

"They're all either wearing helmets or too far away to distinguish," Ken said, looking around. The close proximity of the crowd was making it hard for them to talk without being overheard by the wrong people.

"I think it would be better if we split up to look for him," Aya suggested when their current strategy did not give results fast enough. "Bombay should stay with the car and the motorcycle. The rest of us go out and return in an hour if you don't see the target. If you do find Endou, call each other on the communicators with the description."

Weiß broke apart on their separate ways after receiving their orders from the leader. Aya pushed through the crowd roughly. He overheard snippets of conversation but nothing sounded important. "Move," Aya ordered a bulky figure.

"You move, little man," the man replied gruffly and shoved him back into the people behind him. Aya remained calm even though the man was a solid hundred pounds heavier than him. "Are you looking to get your ass kicked?" snarled the stranger.

Aya didn't answer. It wasn't his way. He expected the man to attack and was right when he came swinging. Aya ducked under the outstretched arm to twist it painfully behind the larger man's back. He kicked him in the spine, knocking him over into the mess of people. By the time the man got up, Aya was gone.

A booming voice announced the beginning of the first race. The sound of engines rumbling filled the air as the drivers started a mechanical song. The cheering echoed when the giant white flag was dropped along with the blonde's red top. Bare-chested, the woman threw her arms open to reveal everything as the cars raced past.

 _Nice show_ , Yohji thought as he pressed hard on the accelerator, keeping up with many others who were quicker than him on the uptake. Yohji's car flew past the line of faces at the beginning of the track. When the race course cleared of the audience, he immediately joined the other cars maneuvering down a narrowing racetrack. The race took him past the warehouse compounds into the dark night. They were racing under the stars now with no light except their own headlights. The winner would be determined at the end. No one cared what happened in between that and the beginning. Dirty tactics were fair in this war.

Yohji expected obstacles. They came at him fast. All it mattered right now is to survive. Endou made it hard for everyone to do that. Yohji's car began to bounce over uneven ground meant to knock everyone's steering off. An explosion to the front revealed a fallen tree on the side of the course. "Shit!" Yohji swore at the unmerciful raceway. Yohji steadied his grip on the steering wheel to press on. One wrong move would mean he would lose precious rank and time to regain the footing he had now.

The next stretch lay ahead. Yohji saw red dots over the other cars and cried in outrage. Instead of bullets, paint-filled pellets rained down to destroy their visibility. Grunting with annoyance at the superficial damage done to his baby, Yohji tried the best he can to navigate without slowing down. The rising fireball behind him illuminated a competing car's demise.

"I don't see him," Yohji muttered about the ever changing ranks of cars beside his. Yohji noticed the number of cars had diminished greatly. Endou was a show-off. His car was custom designed to clearly mark him. No one would think about killing him (except Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache of course) since he had a lot more patrons than enemies.

"Lady Luck, please be with me," Yohji prayed. He hoped his charm would win her over as he entered through a maze of burning barrels. Heavy curtains of smoke hung in the air. Yohji cringed every time an explosion caused racers to brake hard to avoid the barrels. Lady Luck must have heard Yohji's prayers after all because he passed through this test.

Omi's voice came over the sound system. "Find him yet?" Omi inquired urgently. "The race is going to end really soon!"

"Am I winning?" Yohji asked hopefully. Without specific markers, Yohji lost track of time when he had to focus on maintaining his rank and keeping his jeep safe.

"Hell no!" Ken's frantic voice came through too loud and clear for Yohji's ears. "You're so far behind! Balinese, you gotta win this race!"

"I know that! You think I'm not trying?!"" Yohji snapped defensively, seeing the grimness of his reality after Ken put the worry in his mind. "Please do me this favor and I swear I'll make it up to you," Yohji cooed in desperation to his care. It was time to fly. Yohji gunned it again, shooting forward. The racers were forced into a tunnel with large boulders. Yohji swore after his trunk was smashed in by someone's bouncing tire. "I should have never entered my car into this race!"

Yohji spotted Endou's dark blue car in the lead. The man was driving a dark blue Supra with a stylized yellow sun on both the side doors. Yohji was determined to get up there beside him. If he couldn't win, he could at least make Endou crash and take him out with his garrote.

Yohji maneuvered his way up, edging behind Endou as fast as he could. The windows were tinted black to prevent Yohji from seeing inside. "There has to be a way to get him in view," Yohji growled, swinging his car beside the Supra. Yohji wrenched his wheel hard, jerking his car against Endou's. The man retaliated by smashing back against the assassin.

The cars were locked together in a violent shoving match in the final stretch before the big finish. Yohji successfully tore away, taking the Supra's wing with him. The wing bounced away in their trail. "He must be pissed," Yohji commented in amusement at the deformed Supra. Their scuffle ripped part of the Supra's trunk open and created countless scratches over the pristine paint. "Oh _shit!_ He really _is_ pissed!"

His target's window rolled down to reveal a silver gun in Endou's hand. Yohji accelerated at breakneck speed before Endou fired. Yohji flew down the final stretch to finish the race in first place. His new adoring fans swamped his car, bringing a riot of noise. "Where is the target?" Yohji wondered in confusion. The car was gone from the racetrack.

* * *

Ken leaned over his Yamaha and tried to calm himself down during the last preparations of his race. He inhaled deeply and nearly choked on the breath. He was too busy hacking to notice Jade and Nanami at the each end of the starting line.

Ken heard from the mouth-to-mouth announcements Yohji won. His curiosity about Endou's survival was answered by a blue motorcycle taking its place in the race seven spaces to the right of him. Like the car, two stylized yellow suns blazed brightly on the sides. Endou survived to make it to the motorcycle race after all. Ken debated whether to take him down. But there were many witnesses. Ken had no chance of getting away in this crowd. He'd have better luck in the cover of the race.

The motorcycles shot off after a different girl dropped her flag and her top. Fighting a blush to see an undressed woman in public, Ken forced his attention past her on the glowing taillights of the motorcycles. The motorcycles sped off into a dirt road that twisted and turned around the forest.

Ken's Yamaha bounced him around like a doll as they drove over uneven terrain. Silver lines in the air gave him the knowledge there were trip wires around. Some made it, some didn't as the trip wires snapped and trees began to explode. Pieces of bark pummeled him. His leather clothes prevented the sharp debris from tearing holes into his body. The trip wires increased and decreased in number without any pattern as they passed through the forest. The trees kept exploding, frightening animals into their path.

The two oldest girls of Karmesinrot Rache hadn't taken the path through the forest. They avoided the designated racetrack as much as possible to avoid the traps. They didn't care to win. They just wanted their target dead before slipping away into the night. Nanami's eyes locked on the blue motorbike with the yellow emblems. She alerted Jade through their communicators to guide the girl to Endou's other side.

"There are smoking barrels ahead," Nanami warned quickly before the riders tackled the obstacle.

"Keep the fire away from us." Jade sped up beside Nanami until the they were almost touching.

"Roger," Nanami acknowledged, whipping the winds into a cyclone above their heads. The flames contorted away from the girls. Jade saw dark Yamaha edging closer to their protective circle.

"Siberian!" Jade gasped. "I should have known." Jade turned her attention to her teammate. "Raven, can you take care of Endou alone?" Jade asked, falling behind her until they were in a single line.

"Does fire make me happy?" Nanami asked back. She raced forward, increasing the distance between them.

Jade slowed until she was beside Ken. "All work and no play makes Siberian a bad assassin." Jade's voice filtered through Ken's concentration.

Ken's posture stiffened slightly under his leather jacket after he realized who was beside him. "So you're the Hayabusa!" Ken shouted loudly to be heard over the noise of the race.

"Your GPZ handling okay?" Jade shouted back.

Ken didn't get a chance to reply to her question because at the moment, a series of rickety unstable bridges loomed ahead. Ken swore at the swaying bridges. "You have got to be kidding me."

Jade pulled away, trusting Nanami to select the safest course. Ken followed suit. They took the next set of hazards in stride, weaving in and out of the each other's paths like three snakes.

Ken took a moment to study Jade's motorcycle. The powerful engine was hidden under a seamless black metal shell. The machine hugged the ground, creating a sleek aerodynamic missile of power. "What the hell?" he exclaimed when the racetrack was suddenly flooded with Endou's trademark bike. "I think he's onto us. He must have known there was an assassination attempt planned!" The decoys pulled together as a pack with automated weapons. The three assassins shot apart to keep themselves from creating an easy target.

"Raven, you need to create a wind tunnel," Jade ordered. Nanami summoned the wind to send the decoys crashing to the ground. "We lost the real Endou," Jade noted grimly.

"No! He's on the other side!" Ken shouted about the lone figure reaching the end of the narrow bridge. "We can still get him!" Ken led the way. By the time they were in the middle of the bridge, Endou had turned his bike around.

Jade could see a small box in his hand. "Trap!" Jade recognized the danger too late. The heavy wires were already being yanked upwards. The three were clothes lined painfully in the chest by Endou's cheap trick. They began to slide as the bridge collapsed underneath them. There was a terrifying moment when the world flipped on its axis as the three tumbled off the bridge.

"Raven!" Jade screamed. Ken didn't think when he heard the woman's cry of fear. He just reacted, grabbing Nanami's flailing arms. Her arm was twisted hard when she felt a tight grip on her. Without thinking, Jade grabbed Nanami's other arm in reflex and hung on for her life. She looked up to see Nanami being held onto by Ken who was hanging very precariously by his legs wrapped around a steel beam.

"This is not good," Ken groaned as he strained to keep the women with him.


	13. Mission 03 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 03 Rennen - Race (Dead Last)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 12-04-01

* * *

Endou pulled up at the finish line. He was the undisputed winner of this race. In the distance, Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache were waiting for him to reveal his face. Endou complied, holding his helmet while he announced, "The prize of fifteen million yen goes out to Eiba Haruka. For everyone else who participated, I thank you. I also have something for you as well."

One of Endou's assistant brought him a huge box. He opened it ceremoniously. "Each of these envelopes contains one hundred thousand yen. Please accept them as a small token to help repair your cars." Endou's men began to pass out the envelopes to the greedy audience. Endou took out a black remote and a machine gun. "Thank you for your patronage." He pressed the remote. All the envelopes suddenly exploded, inciting a mass panic.

Endou's men began the cleanup, shooting into the crowd. Weiß moved swiftly, ducking around the cars. "With all this in the end, people still want to race?" Yohji asked himself in disgust as the bodies began to pile up.

A shrill, inhuman scream of pain followed a silver arrow aimed at Endou's chest. The wound caused him to drop his gun. Omi's crossbow bolts added to the carnage. Weiß tried to engage Endou's men but the gunfire was too great. They ducked back down to regroup. Kirei dashed out with her fans, using her power to create confusion. The gunfire paused as her powers worked its magic. She went for the kill alone but Endou pulled out a second gun to fire wildly at her. She threw herself to the side as the bullets pierced the dirt where she'd just been.

Yohji shot out a wire to imprison the arm holding the firearm. Endou yelled in frustration as he was pulled towards Yohji. "I'm here to claim my prize," Yohji spat as he punched Endou in the face. Aya's sword flashed in the night and Endou was silenced forever. The body dropped to the floor to join the countless others Endou had victimized. Mission accomplished.

Omi appeared from behind a car with his crossbow ready to neutralize more enemies. "Why isn't there cover fire?" Omi inquired, looking around in confusion. They were just surrounded a minute ago. Aya grunted. Endou's men were on the floor. Arrows decorated the bodies.

Kirei's amused voice attracted their attention. "Gee, I wonder what happened," Kirei remarked innocently, fanning herself. "Do we know anything about that?" Kirei asked Kayla.

"Maybe." Kayla grinned wickedly.

"You two." Aya walked towards them. "Where are the others?"

"Good question." Kirei hopped off the car. Aya started to chase after them but they suddenly vanished from their sight. Kirei had used her powers again.

"Abyssinian, we should find Siberian," Yohji said. "Then we could get the location of the warehouse."

"Ah, about that," Kayla's voice called out, sounding distant. "That's already been taken care off. The authorities were already alerted and it's being cleared out as we speak."

"They beat us to it?" Omi asked dumbfounded.

"Don't take their word for it," Aya said darkly. "We'll check it out ourselves."

"Go right ahead!" called out Kayla before they were gone for real.

The three were still stranded on the bridge as the wind whipped past them, shaking them dangerously. "Can you stop moving please?" Ken called down to her. "It's not helping me hold on."

"Nothing short of flying will help us now," Jade snarled. Her temper was rising to its boiling point.

"Do you hear anything?" Nanami asked a tiring Ken.

"I don't know. I don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention." Ken strained to hear something besides wind.

"Any kind of attention would work for me right now," Jade said darkly. "How long has it been since we were up here?"

"Maybe ten minutes," Ken answered tiredly. "Ten minutes of fun and games with two girls who wanted to kill me when we first met..."

Jade growled. "This is your fault!"

"How is it my fault?" asked Ken in outrage.

"You were the one who led us onto the bridge!" Nanami added to the blame.

"And if you haven't said for us to follow you, we wouldn't be in this mess!" Jade shouted, her angry voice muffled by her cracked helmet. "Raven, hit him for me."

"Hey!" Ken shouted down to her. "Don't you dare!"

"I would but I don't have that many arms," Nanami reminded since she was in the middle.

"Damn, remind me to do it when we get out of this mess," Jade muttered.

"Will do!" Nanami replied.

Ken glared at the two girls. "You know…I'm the one who's holding onto the bridge _and_ holding onto you," threatened Ken.

"Oh shut up," Jade replied crossly but it worked. Nanami and Jade kept their opinions to themselves.

The wind was cold and strong. Nanami didn't dare use her powers because it might tire her and her grip would be lost. The three endured the discomfort until a voice brought them relief.

"Panther!" Kirei's concerned voice called out. "Are you still alive?"

"Yes!" Jade shouted back, her hopes picking up. "Can you get us out?"

"Um, we left the rope in the car. Can you wait?" Kayla asked.

"NO!" screamed all three of them together.

Yohji' voice sounded amused as he leaned over to look at the trio. "Are the three monkeys having fun hanging in their tree?" Yohji called down.

"Oh no," Jade muttered to herself. "Please not him. I'd rather fall."

"Balinese!" Ken's voice cheered up. "Can you send us a line?"

"Anything for you and those lovely ladies," Yohji called down.

"Lovely?" Ken cried harshly. "You try dangling for dear life with them like this. It'll change your mind completely!"

"Hey! We're still here!" Nanami tightened her grip on Ken's arm painfully.

"Siberian needs to learn to keep his mouth shut," Kirei grinned.

"Hang on!" Omi lowered the rope down the bridge.

"How did you find us?" Kayla asked, watching Omi work.

"Short range tracking device on Siberian," Omi explained.

When Ken managed to climb onto solid footing, Weiß pulled him up. When they let go, he collapsed on the floor. Jade and Kayla surrounded the older members of their team when they too returned to solid ground.

Ken groaned, "My legs feel like jelly."

"You were down there for awhile, right?" Omi asked. "That must have fueled a fun conversation."

Ken gave Omi a dirty look before he stood up. Jade turned to face them. The team had been conferring about the mission's success. The fact Endou managed to kill a lot of people before they could take him down had upset her. "We would have completed the mission in its entirety without casualties if you hadn't interfered with us," Jade stated darkly.

"Interfered?" Ken cried in outrage.

"We saved you!" Omi reminded them.

"And it was Viper and Falcon who saved you from Endou's men. They covered you so you could take him down," Jade replied unmoved.

"It doesn't matter who kills Endou as long as the mission's completed!" Yohji shouted at her.

"Of course it does," Jade and Aya said together.

"I can't believe this!" Yohji muttered. "You want to fight me?"

"The mission clearly states that the team must kill Endou Yuushi and find the location of his warehouse," Aya said firmly. Ken looked at Aya. Surely he doesn't think that it mattered who got the kill.

"So if you can't do both, you've failed," Nanami said. "Any interference from anyone must be dealt with accordingly."

"If I'm opposition, come on then," Yohji replied seriously.

"Wait!" Kirei called out, stepping in the older members of both teams. "Not tonight, Panther," Kirei begged quietly. "Let's just go."

Jade looked at Kirei and Kayla. The two did superbly tonight. "Fine," Jade agreed. "Let's go," Jade said, taking Kirei's arm. "We'll save this fight for another night," Jade said to the other team before she left with Kirei. Nanami gave the male assassins one last look before she stalked away.

Kayla lagged behind the others. "Thank you for saving them," Kayla said politely to Ken. Her thanks caused Weiß to reel in shock. A Karmesinrot Rache member was being polite to them? It was too good to last for Nanami came back quickly and dragged Kayla away from Weiß.

"We won't remain in your debt for long," said Nanami, pulling Kayla away. "You can count on it."

"Yeah I know," said Ken as he watched Kayla leave.

* * *

"It's been one hell of a night," Jade spoke to Manticore on the phone in her bedroom. "No, we can handle it. It's not a problem." She stopped pacing around to listen to him.

"I may have to investigate Weiß personally if they keep interfering with your missions," Manticore said grimly.

"Yeah I know," Jade said darkly. "Can't you do something?"

"You want me to make them your new targets?" Manticore asked wryly.

"Please?" Jade asked hopefully. "No one will notice four missing florists!"

"I don't think I can do that," Manticore said without any regret. "Kritiker can be an ally to my organization. We can't kill Weiß. We need Persia."

"I know, I know," Jade sighed. "They're important to our cause, whatever that means. You want to explain that part to me, Chimera?"

"Not particularly," Manticore replied evenly.

"I thought as much. I just care too much about the others to have the flower boys interfering with us. Why can't you just let us work in the States? We were doing much better there," Jade said, sitting down on her bed.

"Yes, that's true. You did so well that underground criminal activity significantly decreased. Tokyo needs your help now, Panther," Manticore reminded her.

"Fine. But you can't cut expenses. You know that there was nothing I could do about the motorcycles."

"Just bad luck?"

"Horrid luck," Jade said with a wince, thinking of Ken's Yamaha GPZ. Unlike Karmesinrot Rache, it was Ken's personal motorcycle. _Damn my conscience_ , she thought.

"Send it in the mission report. I'll see if I could get your replacements," Manticore replied. He hung up and left Jade with the dial tone.

"Mission report," Jade groaned. "Always fun to do."

* * *

Omi was writing up the mission report for Kritiker diligently when he heard Yohji's voice calling his name. "Oi, Omi-kun! Your special friend is here!"

Omi got up quickly, saving the file and closing it. "Ouka-san?" Omi paused in the doorway with a tiny smile.

"Omi-kun!" Ouka beamed brightly. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Omi replied truthfully, walking towards her. "Is there something you want?"

"Just to see you to make my morning walk complete," Ouka said boldly.

"Oh, thanks for stopping by then." Omi smiled.

"Are you busy?" Ouka asked.

"I am. I was working on some homework."

"Can I help?" Ouka asked hopefully.

"I think I can manage. Thanks anyway." Ouka turned around and walked out.

"That girl is just as bad as Sakura-san," Ken remarked, mentioning Aya's special friend as well.

"Can you get back to work?" Aya asked, overhearing the comment and not liking it as he rang up another customer. Ken hid a smile.

"I'm going back to work too," Omi said. "Let me know if I have more visitors."

"Or just one in particular?" Yohji teased. Omi chose not to dignify that with an answer.

"Mission report." Omi opened the file and resumed typing. "Karmesinrot Rache had been encountered for the third time. The last mission with the termination of Endou Yuushi had both teams suffer property damage to their equipment without serious injury. If another encounter with Karmesinrot Rache occurs again, I strongly believe there will be bloodshed." Omi stopped typing. "Because I really think we're going to kill one another next time," he said gravely.


	14. Mission 04 Herzlos - Heartless

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 04 Herzlos – Heartless (Miserable Lies)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

Typhon rested his chin on folded arms on his desk, aching back curved, entire body exhausted. Somewhere in the base, his people were repairing Karmesinrot Rache's mission car. Typhon thanked whatever gods and demons Chimera believed in that she was rich. The amount of money it took to buy a legion of cars was minuscule compared to the costs it took to run the organization.

The flat computer monitor played an old recording of a classroom lecture. It was unedited footage for his private viewing. The only thing annoying about his "movie" was he could not see the face of his daughter unless she looked in the mirror. Right now as Typhon dozed, Cyclops recorded a real-time feed, directly from the eye of its bearer to his laboratory through Atlasnet.  
 _  
Typhon._ A sexless voice summoned, claws tightening around his skull with a solid sense of pressure.

Typhon jerked awake, scattering pens over the blueprints of a new machine, currently labeled Project E for another ally/enemy of Chimera. He picked up the round tools before dropping the pens into a drawer. He gathered Project E's papers together and placed them in another filing cabinet in his private office.

 _Typhon._ Chimera called again. The meeting would not start without him, hence Chimera's stern call. Somehow he made it to Styx for the meeting, unaware of the time that passed in his travels. He would find out later when time and space became relevant again. Until then, he met with Manticore, Minotaur, and Griffin.

He carried two new files, one edited disc full of information from Cyclops and the latter was a report on Kritiker's security system, Nine Lives. The four private faces of Chimera had much to discuss.

* * *

After the troublesome mission to kill Endou Yuushi, Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache dealt with the time differently. Nanami met with the Yagamis from the Eclipse Restaurant to catch up. Jade avoided mixing her past with her present so she focused on her present by handling the paperwork from their missions and reconnaissance of Weiß. Kayla walked around the neighborhood with Kirei when she was free from school, observing the surroundings.

On the other side of the city, Aya left the flower store on some mysterious errand more frequently without telling the others. Yohji was made manager in Aya's absence and held down the fort so Ken could make deliveries when Omi was busy. Omi was the only one who held some sort of a normal schedule while school was in session.

This particular Sunday morning in Koneko No Sume Ie, Omi woke up to bright sunshine in his eyes. Doing a Yohji, he turned himself over and buried his face into his warm pillow. After settling back into bed for another few minutes of sleep, he was rudely awakened by a phone call. Omi mumbled to himself as he sat up, the blanket falling off to reveal light blue pajamas. The cell phone kept ringing insistently.

"Hello?" Omi tried to stifle a yawn as he spoke into the receiver. He patted down his tousled hair and shook the sleepiness away.

"Good morning Omi-kun!" Kirei's hyper voice did the trick.

Omi's eyes flew open with all thoughts of sleep going out the window. "Kirei-san?" Omi asked, just making sure that this wasn't some dream. Why would his classmate be calling him on a weekend?

"That's right," Kirei confirmed on the other end.

"What is it?" Omi's mind went to curiosity next.

"There's this café called Sunny on Rupponji Street. I wanted to thank you for tutoring me in Japanese after our project even though you didn't have to. So do you want to meet me for an early dinner?" Kirei asked hopefully.

"Just me?" Omi asked.

"If you want more people to come, that's fine!" When Omi didn't reply, Kirei plunged onwards. "How about I come over?" Kirei offered. "Does that sound good?"

"That's great," Omi replied eagerly, getting out of bed and going to his closet for clean clothes.

"Thanks! See you later!" Kirei said before she hung up.

Omi ran towards the bathroom to shower. Yohji made his appearance while Omi was brushing his teeth over the sink. Omi's eye nearly fell out of his sockets at the sight of a fully dressed Yohji up before he was.

"So Omittchi's got a date tonight?" Yohji teased, hovering behind Omi.

"Yohji-kun," Omi spoke through his mouth of toothpaste foam, "grow up!" Omi pushed Yohji out of the bathroom and locked the door in one smooth motion.

"I _am_ grown up!" Yohji said from the other side of the door. "But you aren't! Maybe I should chaperone you?"

"Do it and you'll find a dart in a place you won't ever want a dart," Omi warned dangerously before he washed his face.

"Ouch." Yohji left Omi alone for now. He traveled downstairs to see Ken alone in the store. "Did Aya ditch us again?" He asked the soccer player.

Ken looked up from his work to answer, "Aya said he's going to lunch now."

"Aya's _lunch_ takes three hours!" Yohji said, annoyed. "Did you notice that?"

"You're just complaining because you're bored." Ken hit it right on the nail. Yohji frowned, grabbing a spray bottle to mist the plants.

* * *

Kirei hung up the phone in her room and went to find Jade to tell her she succeeded in baiting plotted this moment mischievously, knowing the oldest girl would never approve of the meeting unless it was strictly for business.

"Jade?" Kirei called out. If Jade was nearby, she would be reply. Usually Jade kept her mind closed off to the other girls unless it was mission-related. Kirei searched the house but Jade had stepped out. Making a note to tell her later, Kirei went back to her room and tried to kill time before she went to meet Omi.

"Kirei," Nanami popped into Kirei's room, "have you seen Kayla?"

Kirei shook her head. She realized she didn't see Kayla this morning either when she went searching for Jade. Those two were the morning birds of their household. "What's going on?" Kirei asked, worried the two were in danger. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing's wrong." Nanami reassured quickly. Nanami hate having Kirei worry over unimportant things. The girl was naturally very sensitive. "I just don't know when Kayla would be back from her morning walk."

Kirei nodded. She felt better that it wasn't as she feared. "I hope she comes back before Jade does. You know how Jade gets when Kayla goes off by herself," Kirei said, frowning slightly.

"I know." Nanami agreed. "She always leaves without telling us but she doesn't like it when Kayla and you do it." She shrugged. "I have to go now. I'm covering another intern's shift today."

Kirei nodded understandably. "When will you be back?"

Nanami paused to think. "I should be done in five hours." She left Kirei's room to attend to her business.

* * *

In the chronic care department, the real Fujimiya Aya slept undisturbed. Nanami gazed down at the still girl, watching her chest rise and fall slowly. Her orders to infiltrate known Kritiker locations led her to Magicbus Hospital. However, this bedside vigil was unrelated to her orders. Someone stepped into the room, bringing a wonderful floral scent with him. "What are you doing here?" a man's baritone voice asked, lowered even more by surprise.

Nanami turned slowly to see the one who chose to call himself "Aya" with a bouquet of white lilies. Nanami forced a blithe look on her face, pretending not to recognize him. "I work here." She pointed to her ID pinned against her chest. "See? I work for Ishida-sensei. I came to round on all his patients." Aya scrutinized her credentials as if seeking for a forgery. "Who are you?"

Now Aya's surprised look dropped away to be replaced by suspicion. "I'm her brother."

"Oh, that explains all the flowers," Nanami chuckled without thinking. Aya took offense at the noise. "I'm sorry," she apologized. Melancholy made Nanami act different, the sight of a body hanging onto life by a single thread struck her in a broken way. Nanami pointed to the lilies. "That's sweet." She turned towards the hospital bed before the man could reply, watching the girl's slow, steady heartbeat in the form of green lines on a monitor.

"Fujimiya-san," she spoke soft and turned to face him fully. "I don't know whether to pity you or be jealous of you. Your dear sister is here, on this bed trapped in a seemingly never ending dream. But she's here, alive, safe. One day she may even wake from her slumber. You even have the hope that one day she'll return to you." Nanami's lips formed a sad, crooked smile. "I have none."

Her words seeped into Aya's mind, breaking apart his memories as Weiß. It tore up older memories of Aya being alive and he being "Ran." These images and voices of family long gone, welcomed and despaired by his soul, surfaced at Nanami's words. By the time Aya reburied the pain and found something worthwhile to say, Nanami had left. Perhaps it was for the best.

* * *

Kayla's morning walk hit a bump in the form of one soccer-loving assassin. Ken appeared, running after a rogue ball before it entered the busy streets. Unfortunately, Kayla was in the way during his madcap chase. Ken sent her sprawling on her back. After apologizing profusely, Ken realized who the girl was and they decided to walk home together.

"I didn't know you lived near here," Ken commented.

"I don't. I like to take morning walks to exercise." Kayla smiled.

"Is that safe?" Ken asked, looking worried.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Kayla smiled good-naturedly. "Is it because I'm blind?"

"No!" Ken waved his hands nervously. "You've got good reflexes."

"If I had good reflexes, I would be able to dodge you when you came charging over." Kayla giggled. "I can only see dark shadows in bright light. That's why I can go off by myself during the day."

"What about night time when it's dark?" Ken asked.

"At night, I use my bat ears and listen for the echoes!" Kayla kidded.

Since Ken was beside her, Kayla asked if he would be her guide. Ken agreed, not knowing the girl was firting. So they walked together, completely at ease with each other. Unfortunately, a black Lexus pulled up beside them when they were walking together like that.

"Kayla, what are you doing?!" Jade called out furiously.

"Jade?" Kayla turned towards the car beside them.

"Get in the car _now_ ," Jade ordered, opening the side door for her. Kayla immediately released Ken's arm and entered the car meekly.

"That's one dictator I don't want to cross," Ken muttered as he watched the car speed away.

Kirei felt a chill travel up her spine. Kirei crept downstairs quietly. She didn't hear raised voices but she sensed contained fury in the atmosphere. Kirei found Jade and Kayla in the kitchen in the middle of a disagreement. Unlike how she reacted to Chimera, Jade never yelled at her team.

"You crossed a line, Kayla!" Jade said sharply. "We're to observe them! Not to date them!" Jade growled. "What you need to do is focus on the mission! If you need a guide for your walks, ask one of us instead of Hidaka! You know he is Siberian!"

"I was not fraternizing with the enemy! I'm doing the job Chimera gave us!" Kayla defended herself furiously.

"From now on, everyone has to clear their reconnaissance plans with Nanami or me first," Jade declared. "Do you understand?"

"Fine," Kayla fumed. Kirei backed out of the kitchen, mindful of the rage in Jade's eyes. Kirei bolted to her room, thinking it was out of the question to go to Sunny now.

* * *

Ken returned to the flower store in low spirits. His pleasant morning was ruined and he didn't know who to blame. Maybe there was no one to blame. He entered through the back to avoid the mass of customers in the front. When he entered the building, he finally broke out of his depression to realize the mass of girls were not present.

"Ken-kun!" Omi's voice called out urgently. "Downstairs!"

Ken sprinted down the spiral stairs to see Manx looking as gorgeous and grim as ever. "Welcome back, Siberian." Manx flipped on the television. Ken sat down on the lower part of the spiral staircase to watch Persia with their next mission.

"Weiß, in Japan, a secret hunting of people is taking place. Innocent people are becoming the victims of man hunts. The man behind this atrocity is Takatori Hirofumi. He stages the hunt for corrupt members of Japan's government. White Hunters in the dark shadows, change the tomorrow of these devils."

"People think of some sick shit," Yohji muttered quietly after Persia signed off. The scenes of the people who were paying to hunt down innocent victims haunted him.

"Takatori Hirofumi?" Ken said, looking at Manx. "Does this relate to Schreient and Takatori Masufumi?"

"That doesn't matter. All you need to know is that you need to kill him," Manx said, ending that discussion.

"Do you have any clues?" Ken asked.

Aya spoke up. "I'm in."

"Me too," Omi said quickly, driven to find out the truth of the Takatori family.

"All the victims were picked up in youth dance clubs," Manx said. "On Rupponji Street. We only know Takatori Hirofumi is the one who organizes the events. The hunters are usually transient participators."

"I'll be bait," Omi volunteered before anyone else could.

"Omi," Yohji said, slightly shocked.

"It'll be fine." Omi assured them. "I'll do it!" Aya studied Omi. There was no way to talk him out of it. Aya could see it in his eyes so he nodded.

"You need to get on this right away," Manx said. "There's no delay."

"Omi should go tonight," Aya said.

"Tonight?" Omi's eyes widened. He had plans with Kirei in thirty minutes!

"Is there a problem, Bombay?" Manx asked him, raising an eyebrow. She gave him a concerned look. Omi shook his head and resigned himself to the fate as a Weiß member. He'd have to cancel after all. He went upstairs, leaving the others in the mission room. He went to the closest phone and dialed Kirei's number.

"Omi-kun?" Kirei's pretty voice asked, concerned.

"Kirei-san," Omi paused, "I'm sorry but I have to cancel."

"Why?" Kirei's voice shot up a few levels in surprise.

"I've got work to do. It's very important."

"I understand," Kirei said softly on the phone. Her mind worked at the possibilities. Omi's line of work included flower store during the day and assassination at night. Weiß had a mission. But Karmesinrot Rache didn't.

"I'll call you later if that's alright with you," Omi said. Omi placed the phone back into the cradle. Omi saw Yohji studying him from the doorway. He squared his shoulders and turned to face the flirt with a fixed look.

"You'll get another chance, Omittchi," Yohji said, trying to cheer up Omi. "You got her phone number after all."

"I know." Omi faked a bright smile. "I need to get ready now." Omi left Yohji in the room and went to find appropriate attire to wear, something that screamed out "bait" and "shoot me now."

* * *

Nanami meandered around the house, feeling an oppressive air. It had been hours after what Nanami dubbed "Kirei's devastating phone call," setting the youngest girl in a similar mood to Kayla's. Unlike her normal self, Kirei remained closemouthed about the reason. Jade vanished again, going out for one of her drives. Nanami silently accused her leader for avoiding the situation. Nanami sighed heavily. She went into Kirei's bedroom first and found the girl practicing with her shukusen.

"Do you really want to go to Sunny tonight?" Nanami asked her. "I'll bring you," Nanami offered.

"Are you sure?" Kirei asked reluctantly, still twirling the fans and moving her body in a captivating dance sequence.

"Yeah." Nanami gave her a weak smile. "I'll even dress up."

"Oh my god, who are you and what have you done to Nanami?" Kirei's eyes went wide in mock fear. Kirei loved dramatics and would have been happy on stage performing.

"I ate her and she's being digested now," Nanami replied evenly. Kirei took a step back and hid behind her fans. "I'll ask Kayla too," Nanami said. "We'll go at six, okay?"

The walls of Sunny were plastered with movie and music posters, flyers about local youth groups, and the occasional framed, autographed memorabilia. The three youngest girls of Karmesinrot Rache sat with drinks in hand. "Kirei's excited," Kayla said, taking in her new surroundings with her eyes closed and head tilted. The smell of fresh fruit drinks being made at the bar tickled her nose pleasantly, not to mention made her stomach rumble. "Kirei's going to sing soon," Kayla said happily. Patrons took turns singing for a biweekly contest judged by the audience. The winner received an appetizer and drink voucher for two. Kirei immediately entered the contest when she came into the building. "She's going to win," Kayla said firmly.

"Vision?" Nanami inquired.

"Nah, I just know it." Kayla smiled confidently for her younger friend. The perky teenager never looked more natural than onstage.

"Kakumei-san," the host announced, "will be singing 'Miracle' by Kat Polari."

Nanami let loose a tiny gasp. "What is it?" Kayla asked, accidentally knocking over her glass. The liquid spilled over the table. Nanami quickly mopped it up with a pile of napkins.

"Be careful," Nanami chastised, using the distraction to avoid the question. She turned back to Kirei. _Why would she choose that song of all songs?_ Kirei was treading on dangerous ground. When the song ended, Kirei bowed down to the applause. Once out of the spotlight, Kirei skipped happily over to their table.

"Do you think they liked it?" Kirei asked.

"Kirei," Nanami said softly, feeling a wave of nostalgia wash over her. They still tried to cling onto the past after all this time. "You were wonderful," she said.

"I didn't think Kat Polari was popular overseas," Kayla remarked, hearing the name again brought back memories of the popular singer in her home country, the United States.

Kirei sipped her drink wistfully, staring out the window across the street. The street was brightly lit by the large neon sign for Club Cue that was opposite them. "Isn't that Omi-kun?" Kirei gasped at the other assassin walking to the entrance of Club Cue. "It is!" Kirei stood up, feeling betrayed. She turned to the others with a dark look on her face. "I'm going to follow him."

Omi checked himself in the reflection of the nearest store window. "Yohji-kun could have done a better a job at dressing me," Omi said, critiquing the burgundy shirt, tight black pants and boots. A glimpse of a silver chain could be seen around his neck, its purpose, besides accessorizing, was securing a dog tag-sized tracking device in case of capture. He came armed with darts and an electronic transmitter. He adjusted the red sunglasses perched on the top of his head.

"You don't dress yourself, Omi-kun?" Ouka's undeniable voice giggled behind him.

"Ouka-san!" Omi turned around in surprise and then had his left arm captured in Ouka's tight grip. "What are you doing here?"

"Going in, Omi-kun." Ouka smiled brightly as she pointed to Club Cue. "That's where you were going, right?"

"But I'm no-" Omi got cut off after Ouka dragged him into the bright club.

Ouka giggled at some men who eyed her openly. She turned them away and focused her attention on Omi. "Omi-kun, I didn't know you liked clubs," Ouka commented. "You seem like a serious and studious boy to me." Omi couldn't think of an explanation. "If you like parties, I have a great idea!" Ouka beamed. "There's this huge party for diplomats and politicians in four days and I want you to escort me! Would you come?"

"I can't. I have to work that day," Omi made the excuse. "Shouldn't you be at home?" Omi asked Ouka desperately. Ouka dragged him into the dance floor just before the lights went out and the colored spotlights began moving around the room.

"Shouldn't you?" Ouka asked, dancing near Omi. "Omi-kun, dance with me!"

"I don-don't dance w-well," Omi stuttered as he felt the people around him move closer against his back.

"Or maybe Omi-kun can't dance at all?" Ouka teased, taking his arm to lead. She twirled around Omi and smiled encouragingly at him. Omi felt it was better to get into the dancing mood if the mission was to work. The couple dominated the dance floor for the next several songs.

"Omi-kun dances well after all," Ouka murmured, leaning in for a kiss. Omi relaxed at the scent of Ouka's light perfume and her sincere warmth. But something pulled at him, reminding him that this was a mission. "Omi-kun?" Ouka opened her eyes to see Omi struggling with his emotions. "Is something wrong?"

"You shouldn't be here," Omi said quickly, gathering his wits again. The dancing made him sweaty. He pulled at his open shirt, flapping it against his moist skin for air flow.

"Neither should you," Kirei's cold voice said from his side. The iciness raised goosebumps on Omi's body, driving away the heat immediately. Omi whirled to face her accusing glare. "I never thought you were the one to mix business with pleasure, Omi-kun." Kirei bit off before she rejoined her friends.

Ouka watched the three girls leave the building and Omi's sudden dilemma. She was clueless about what she had just caused. "You shouldn't be here," Omi said suddenly, taking Ouka's arm and dragging her towards the exit. "Go home." Ouka fought Omi but she was pulled outside. "Go home now," Omi said loudly, pointing towards the street.

"Fine!" Ouka shouted angrily out before she stalked away.

Omi returned to the lower dance floor and sat at the bar, dwelling on the turn of events.


	15. Mission 04 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 04 Herzlos – Heartless (Miserable Lies)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

The car ride home was full of vehement cursing about the trustworthiness of florists. "So flower boy's a liar," Nanami said, entering their house behind Kayla and Kirei.

"Is he now?" Jade studied the arriving trio.

"You're back?" Nanami asked, relieved.

"I'm standing here, aren't I?" Jade asked back, walking towards the upset Kirei.

"Don't, Jade." Kirei held up her hand, walking past Jade to the living room. "You're just going to say 'I told you so.'"

"I never say 'I told you so!'" Jade exclaimed, following her. "Mistakes are a learning experience. And if you learned your lesson about trusting nasty male assassins from Weiß, good for you!"

"It's not like you can trust an assassin anyway," Nanami added, sitting down in the closest chair. "Who in Hell would trust someone who might kill you for money?"

"Chimera does," Jade said, pointing to the white mission envelope on their table. "He paid us a visit when we were out. The mission car is back in the garage," Jade said, jerking her head to make the point. "But the motorcycles aren't there anymore."

"Let's see what Chimera assigned us now," Nanami said, taking the DVD. A few moments passed before a digitized altered voice coming from a shadowed man appeared on their screen.

"Karmesinrot Rache, the prey has been determined. Former Prime Minister Nakazawa Yasuichi, former Cabinet Minister Kondo, and former Chief of Police Yomitsune Kenta must be removed from society. Crimson beasts, be there to devour those who commit injustice and make them the prey of tomorrow."

They digested the new mission. It looked like a political problem needed rectification.

"Four days to prepare for the mission. And it's another party! Can we say 'yay'?" Nanami remarked sarcastically, the first to break the silence in the room. She hated politics and most forms of government.

"Chimera had something planned already." Kirei eased a leather case from beneath the table. "It's a violin!" she exclaimed after she opened the case to pull out a polished violin and bow.

"Why would Chimera send us a violin?" Kayla asked, stroking the smooth grain of the wood.

"It's not a Stradivarius," Jade took the violin from Kirei gently, "but it will be good enough for me." She tuned the instrument carefully, recalling an old lesson to test the instrument.

"You can play the violin?" Kirei gasped as Jade launched into a brief rendition of Pachelbel's Canon in D.

"It's been awhile since my last lesson," Jade said modestly. She placed the sleek violin back into the case with a grimace in her heart. She would be embarrassed to go on. Jade didn't want to reveal the fact she couldn't remember any more of Pachelbel's score. "I'll be in the orchestra for the party." Jade looked over the included sheet music, approving Chimera's foresight to place her in a central location so she could scout the targets. "Nanami, you decide the rest of the positions but make sure you three aren't recognized. You know how often Weiß likes to show up."

"I understand." Nanami nodded. "We should be able to handle this one without any problems if all goes well."

"When has it been 'all goes well' ever since we moved to Tokyo?" Kayla wondered out loud, speaking their worries.

* * *

Omi woke up groggily with his hands tied painfully behind his back. The world was in motion. Or maybe it was just him. When he regained enough of his senses to evaluate his circumstances, he realized he was held in the back of a large truck. It smelled faintly of mildew and livestock. Omi fought to sit upright but the press of bodies against him prevented the assassin from finding a stable position. The truck slowed and finally stopped. The clanking door rolled up to reveal sudden light. He, along with the other captives, was hustled blindly down the ramp to stand in a line.

The blindfold was torn off his face and bonds cut. "Go," one of their captors ordered them. "Run away." Omi's heart sank after he recognized a small figure in the back trying not to cry. "Ouka-san." Omi tried to move towards the frightened girl. Ouka looked up at the sound of his voice, terrified.

"Omi-kun?"

The transporters nudge one of the girls with their assault rifle, firing a short burst into the ground to incite panic. Omi ran towards Ouka and the two dashed into the woods. The hunt began. Ouka struggled in her heels over the uneven forest terrain. Gunshots and barking dogs kept her from crying out. She didn't want to attract their hunters.

The couple reached a cliff's base before they got cornered by the bloodhounds. The pack leader broke out from the foliage to rip into Ouka, closely followed by two more. Omi threw himself bodily against the first dog to free its teeth from Ouka and kicked it aside. The dog was in mid-air when Omi threw his darts, killing the dog near Ouka and the one nearest him.

"Ouka-san, climb! Quickly!" Omi urged when the third beast hesitated. Ouka scaled the steep cliff, fear and desperation giving her strength to reach the top. Omi closely followed after killing the last dog to prevent it from howling its location to the humans. They hiked across the land, finally finding brief refuge in a cave.

Finally, reaching her limit, Ouka cried. "It hurts," Ouka complained for the first time. Her right shoulder bled from the bite.

Omi dressed her wound with tenderness. "It's proof you're alive. Just stay brave," Omi said, tightening the bandage he made from his handkerchief and scarf.

"I can't," Ouka said pitifully, trying to keep her composure. "I'm exhausted and my shoulder's bleeding. No one would think I'm pretty anymore with a huge scar."

"I think you're pretty," Omi said softly, smiling at her. "And it'll heal in time for you to wear a pretty dress to go to that party with me as your escort."

"Omi-kun." Ouka was grateful that he was being so nice to her.

"Take these painkillers," Omi handed Ouka a pill from the container he took from his tan jacket. "It'll help."

Ouka swallowed the pill and then her eyes closed before she slumped over. Omi placed his jacket over her sleeping body and signaled Weiß to start the mission. Once Weiß received the signal, Omi left the cave to hunt down Takatori Hirofumi. Omi quickly ran into Ken and Yohji, thanks to his GPS necklace.

"Where's Abyssinian?" Omi asked quickly as he was handed his crossbow, black jacket, and goggles by Ken.

"He's taking care of the people after you," Ken replied.

"There was a woman with me and I put her to sleep. One of us needs to take her back to the car and to Tokyo," Omi explained as he loaded his crossbow and placed his darts within easier reach.

"Takatori Hirofumi's mansion is on the top of the cliff." Ken pointed east where Omi could barely see a white estate overlooking the valley.

"Balinese, can you take that girl to Tokyo?" Omi asked. "She's beautiful." Omi added after seeing Yohji's indecisiveness.

"It'll be my duty then." Yohji smiled and pushed up his sunglasses.

"Take care of her," Omi ordered briskly and he ran towards the path leading up the mountain.

"You heard him, Balinese," Ken said, giving the job to Yohji before running to catch up with Omi.

Omi made it to the mansion first. It was grand with tall, sparkling windows and heavy doors. The porch was expensive stone, framed by pillars on both sides. He entered the front door cautiously after breaking the locks. The first few rooms were empty. However, when he entered the study, he met a nervous man with glasses. He stood up with a smoking cigar in his mouth and a gun in his right hand. Omi recognized him as Takatori Hirofumi from the picture.

"Put the gun down!" Omi ordered. He aimed the crossbow steadily. "Put it down!" Hirofumi obeyed wordlessly, lowering the firearm to the table beside him.

"Who are you?" Hirofumi demanded, cigar falling from his moving lips. The man was sweating in fear.

"I'll ask the questions!" Omi replied grimly. "You are Takatori Hirofumi, right?"

"Yes." Hirofumi nodded.

"You have two younger brothers. One was Takatori Masufumi, CEO of Korin Pharmaceutical. And the youngest one was Takatori Mamoru!"

"So?" Hirofumi's eyebrow knitted as he concentrated on Omi's face. Something about his face called up old memories.

"Where's Mamoru?" Omi demanded. "Tell me where he is! Is he in this building too? Is he a part of this hunting game you designed?"

"Mamoru?" Hirofumi stared at Omi's determined face and he felt like he saw it before. Yes, he had! "You're Mamoru!" Hirofumi cried out in shock and joy. "Mamoru! It's me! Your older brother Hirofumi!"

Omi's body went cold at his words. Memories flashed in his was a small child running towards two men, one who welcomed him and the other who ignored him. Both called him...Mamoru.

"Mamoru," Hirofumi said, walking towards Omi with open arms. Omi didn't feel the hug around his body. His mind was working on processing the memory. "You're alive."

"You're my brother?" Omi felt the crossbow slip from his deadened grip. Pieces fell into place as he stared at Hirofumi's face in recognition.

"Father said you were dead when I came back from boarding school," Hirofumi went on, holding onto Omi tightly. "He said you died and he won't say anything more. But I found out you were kidnapped and they said you were killed."

"Father?" Omi's mind flashed to the images of the Takatori patriarch.

"But I knew you were alive…somewhere. And you're back, Mamoru." Hirofumi's eyes had sincere tears in them. To his shock, Omi felt his eyes filling with tears and their wetness spilled onto his childish face. "Stay with me," Hirofumi offered, stepping back to look at Omi. "We'll join up and make our father proud of us."

"Stay with you?" Omi repeated. He forgot everything but his brother.

"Stay and be a family again!" Hirofumi said earnestly.

"A family?"

The door behind them was kicked open violently by heavy boots. Omi turned to see Aya and Ken in the doorway. "Bombay!" Ken shouted, fearing their target would use Omi as a shield.

Omi was torn in two. In front of him was his only family for as long as he could remember but behind him was his blood family. Omi's will wavered between the decisions. He grabbed the gun off the table to aim it at Aya and Ken. "Run!" Omi called out to Hirofumi.

"Mamoru." Hirofumi watched Omi's crossbow shake while pointed at Aya. The loyalties were breaking. But he didn't have the time to take advantage now. "I'll see you again." Hirofumi bolted, escaping through a side door.

"Bombay, why?!" Ken demanded.

"He was my older brother." Omi crumpled on the floor over the events he caused. Aya watched the sobbing boy as a thousand emotions flashed through him. Most predominantly was hate. Pure hate for the Takatori family.

* * *

Omi stood over a bridge looking out at the golden water created from the reflection of the setting sun. He had been contemplating his strange fate. He confronted Aya about the mission and about his grudge against the Takatoris but Aya sent him away. His head hurt but it was nothing compared to his heart. He didn't hear the footsteps approaching him from behind. It took the touch of a small hand to pull him back to the world around him.

"Ouka-san," Omi responded dully as the girl waved at him.

"I came to apologize for yesterday," Ouka said, looking ashamed. She clasped her hands behind her back, giving Omi an apologetic look. "I put you in danger. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry it." Omi shook his head at her words. It wasn't true. Omi had put Ouka in danger. That burdening thought was another weight on his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Ouka asked, studying his gloomy face intently.

"It's nothing. I'm fine," Omi lied, turning back to the water. The liquid gold of the water's surface was gorgeous. It blinded him, making him feel naked in its light. _Why do I feel so insignificant? Aya-kun hates me._

"Omi-kun," Ouka reached for Omi's hand and pulled him back towards her. "Cheer up."

"Can you leave me alone, please?" Omi asked desperately. He wasn't in the mood for company but Ouka was persistent. Ouka dragged Omi back towards the parking lot and sat on his motorcycle.

"I know what you need," Ouka said firmly. "Drive this thing."

"I'm not in the mood." Omi said, slightly annoyed.

"Omi-kun, please?" Ouka begged relentlessly. Omi drove according to Ouka's directions and they ended up in a small shop owned by Ouka's mother. Ouka forced Omi to sit at the counter and Ouka's mother served him. Omi bit into the fresh food and it warmed him inside.

"It's delicious," Omi complimented, feeling better slightly.

"Thank you," Ouka's mom smiled prettily. Omi blushed at the extra attention.

"Mama!" Ouka frowned at her mother for unintentionally flirting with the boy.

"I know." Ouka's mother laughed lightly. "This one is yours."

"Mama!" Ouka was scandalized by her mother's words. "Mama, Omi-kun is being inconsiderate. He has a problem and he won't confide in me," Ouka complained.

"Stop being selfish, Ouka," her mother warned without malice. "He doesn't want to tell you because you won't be able to help him. Everyone must solve their own problems."

"But I want to help him!" Ouka replied, looking at Omi. "I want us to be good friends."

"Thank you." Omi smiled at her words. He turned when he noticed Ouka's mother looked at him as if she was seeing him for the first time. "Is there something wrong?" Omi asked, confused.

"You just reminded me of a deceased family member," Ouka's mother responded sadly.

"Who?" Ouka pressed the question but her mother shook her head.

"No one you would know, Ouka," her mother said with a sorrowful smile. "He died a long time ago. He was related to your father."

"Maybe I'll ask him," Ouka said, wiping her hands with a napkin. She

"Who's your father?" Omi wondered, turning to Ouka.

"He doesn't live with us," Ouka's mother explained. "I got involved when I was young without getting married and gave birth to Ouka."

"Mama!" Ouka turned bright red from embarrassment. "Don't talk about such things!"

"It's true," Ouka's mother said, resting a hand on Ouka's face. "You don't get to choose your family." She turned to Omi. "You must learn to accept them for who they are, good or bad."

"I'm not ashamed!" Ouka said fervently to Omi. "My papa is very nice. He talks to me and I get to see him once in a while. He's a very famous politician and a great father to me."

"Really?" Omi asked brightly, glad to hear Ouka's confident words in her father. He sensed her bond to her estranged father was strong. It warmed to know that his friend felt this way when she seemed so distant with her peers in school.

Ouka smiled fondly. "He's in town too." Ouka reached into her pocket and produced a small yellow ticket. "This is for you. It's the ticket to the party you said you'll go to."

"Jigen?" Omi read off the ticket.

"The Jigen Political Party." Ouka nodded.

Omi pocketed the ticket and stood. "Thank you for dinner. I feel much better."

"Come again," Ouka's mother offered before Omi took polite leave of the small restaurant.

Omi drove slowly, his mind on Ouka's mother's words about family and decisions. He stopped at a red light just to see a familiar white car drive past him. "Aya-kun?" Omi followed the car carefully, keeping a street between Aya's car and his motorcycle. The older man parked in the lower level of a parking lot in a hospital. Omi followed him to pause outside a hospital room door.

"Fujimiya Aya?" Omi read the name above the vitals monitor. He peeked in to see Aya hovering over a small girl in the hospital bed, feeling guilty for the intrusion. Why was he talking to this girl also named Fujimiya Aya?

He spoke to her in a steady, determined voice. "I swore to kill all the Takatoris." Aya caressed his little sister's hand. "I will for your sake."

Outside, Omi swallowed the lump in his throat. _Aya-kun? Why are you saying such things to her? Aren't we friends?_ Aya arranged a bouquet of pink roses in a white vase on the table beside the bed. Pink roses and white lilies were his little sister's favorite combination. Staring at the blossoms made Aya remember the conversation he had with Nanami.

 _You have hope_ , she said to him, eyes meeting his. _I have none_. She shared a similar loss. But her loss was complete. There was nothing she could do to change it. Aya plucked out a rose from the arrangement. He placed it on the pillow beside his sister's face, the pink velvet bringing a glow to the white skin. Aya couldn't ever stop hoping for responses as long as _his_ heart still beat. Whatever tragedy Nanami suffered, it made her give up completely.

"It's your favorite," Aya reminded softly. He touched the golden bar dangling on his ear. "After you wake up, I'll give this back to you." Aya stood, preparing himself for another farewell from his sister's bedside. "I'm doing this...for your sake." Aya left the room quietly as the sun set over Tokyo.

Omi stepped out from the shadows. A voice told him to ignore the boy like he had been doing for the majority of the day but he felt compelled to ask. "Are you following me?" Aya asked coldly.

"Who is Fujimiya Aya?" Omi asked urgently, walking towards Aya's car and stopping on the other side.

"I don't have anything to say to you," Aya said darkly, getting into his car.

"Why? Because I'm a Takatori now?" Omi demanded an answer, his voice full of pain. "What is going on, Aya-kun? With the Takatori family?"

Aya paused and looked downwards. "She is my little sister."

"That girl is your sister?" Omi asked quietly, feeling stupid for not figuring it out sooner.

"Because of Takatori Reiji, she's in a coma. I have to kill him." Aya's eyes were hard violet stones without any light. "For her sake, I have to kill the Takatoris." Aya got into the car and he drove away, leaving Omi alone in the dark parking lot.

* * *

After school, Omi was getting onto his scooter when a familiar voice stopped him. "Omi-kun doesn't look like a liar." Kirei tilted her head to study Omi's eyes intently. "Do you want to explain to me what was going on between Sakaki-san and Omi-kun?" Kirei walked closer, not letting him leave without telling her something. "I need to know if you're still my friend." She rested a hand on Omi's lightly.

"We _are_ friends!" Omi exclaimed earnestly, blue eyes bright. "I'll didn't stand you up if that's what you're thinking," Omi explained. "Things at home are complicated right now."

"You can always talk to me," Kirei offered hopefully. "I'll do my best to help you! You know that!" Kirei went on, drawing up courage to battle Omi's deep pain.

The open look on Kirei's face told him she was sincere. "I- I'll see you tomorrow," Omi said, giving Kirei an uncertain look. "I need to get home." Kirei waved meekly as Omi sped off.

* * *

A tense air filled the Jigen party headquarters the day of the banquet. Father and son were at odds with each other. Hirofumi's confrontation about the possible survival of Takatori Mamoru ended badly with his own father threatening him with a golf club. Mamoru was alive and Hirofumi was the only one who cared. He had to do something but it would have to wait until his father's stupid party was over.

Hirofumi followed up with the hired help, ensuring catering, decorations, florists, etc. were all on schedule. A large banner announced that Takatori Reiji was running for the position of the party's President and Prime Minister. Smaller banners flanking the main banner promoted Tokizo Masaya's intent to run for lower position in law enforcement.

"Where are the florists?" Hirofumi shouted to his assistant angrily. His mood was awful, a violent undercurrent in the festive atmosphere. "They should be setting up already!"

"They're in the building," his timid assistant replied, rechecking the itinerary.

"Make sure everything is finished on time!" Hirofumi snapped peevishly. He made a second circuit of the building. Hirofumi found the hired florists and gave them the sharp edge of his tongue. "You better do a good job or I'll complain to your manager," Hirofumi threatened to a honey-haired man in an apron.

Yohji raised a hand, touching his sunglasses to ward off Hirofumi's harsh words. Hirofumi didn't give him a second look. However Yohji remained more perceptive than his target. "They're still there," Yohji noted the two foreigners lurking in the halls to Aya and Ken. One looked European, dressed in a tight, green overcoat with tailored white pants and white dress shoes. A wide yellow bandanna controlled his thick, long orange-red hair. Red sunglasses rested securely on top of the bandanna.

The other man was dressed in a business suit of buttery yellow color with a white dress shirt tucked into the pants. A green tie finished the formal ensemble. The man wore thin round eyeglasses, designer spectacles which he peered through at humanity as if they were beneath him. Both men gave Yohji weird vibes.

"I see three flies buzzing around." Schuldig smirked from the shadows. _Where they have no place to be_ , he added. The florists saw and knew too much. Their senses were too sharp.

"Ignore them," Crawford replied coolly. "The lives of flies don't last long." He pushed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose before turning away. "I can See it."

"If you say so." Schuldig shrugged carelessly, taking a step towards his leader. His interest in the flies died. "Will Nagi be attending the party?"

"He is." Crawford nodded. The regal face grew stony when his features cooled. "But Farfarello will not."

"He's having a bad hair day?" Schuldig asked glibly, running his hand through his own silky hair.

"It's more like the man he decapitated is having a bad hair day," Crawford replied crossly. The youth had to learn discipline when Crawford's eye was not on him. Crawford had no time to control him because Takatori Reiji's ascension to power in Japan transformed the American pre-cog into the old man's keeper.


	16. Mission 04 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 04 Herzlos – Heartless (Miserable Lies)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

The start of the party was signaled by the introduction piece played by the small group situated in the back of the room. The musicians sat on a stage illuminated by strings of white lights. The florists tucked thin flowering vines around each plastic strand so the lights twinkled beautifully around the blossoms.

Jade played passably, sharp eyes scanning the crowd. Kayla stood ready in the kitchen, balancing a platter of drinks. Both girls were appropriately attired for the party. Jade wore a black dress, wire-framed eyeglasses, and colored contacts to make her eyes brown. She donned a short black wig to hide her long dyed hair. Kayla wore the black and white servers' outfit given to all hired employees working the banquet floor. She curled her straight hair tightly so it bounced on her shoulder with each step she took.

Nanami became the base of communications for the team, sitting on the roof of the building. The girl was the only one in full assassin gear and kept the others' weapons handy. Using her binoculars, she was able to see Kirei in uniform at the entrance of the building as a formal greeter that took tickets and checked off names.

Kirei's excited voice chirped in their heads courtesy of the team link, _We're lucky. This guest list says Nakazawa Yasuichi, Kondo Hiroshi, Yomitsune Kenta arrived already so they should be inside! The best part is they will be leaving in the same limo later tonight!_

 _Finally something goes right_ , Nanami thought gratefully. Karmesinrot Rache worked too hard for their money sometimes. Convenient transportation arrangements was a pleasant change of pace. _Check to see which limo they're using!_ , Nanami reminded from the roof.

 _I'll go look around in the parking lot for the chauffeur,_ Kirei offered, excusing herself from her duties with a touch of hypnosis on her coworkers.

 _Keep me updated_ , Nanami ordered quickly. More limousines pulled up to the front door. In contrast, there was one motorcycle with a lone rider. "Bombay?" Nanami focused her binoculars on the small brunette as he entered. _What is Bombay doing here? Don't tell me Weiß is here too? Just when everything was going perfectly!_ Nanami transmitted her news. _Karmesinrot Rache, Bombay just entered the building alone. Be on the look out for the other three._

 _I didn't See them interfering_ , Kayla's voice was certain. _It could be that Bombay's here for the party. He's meeting up with a blue-haired girl in a red dress._

 _Is he with Sakaki Ouka again?!_ Kirei's indignant question sounded pained.

 _Stay sharp,_ Jade demanded of her team. _There're too many people around to lose focus!_ , Jade reminded Karmesinrot Rache. Kayla worked her way around the room, filing intrigues into her memory. She paused by a large built man in a white tuxedo and square tinted eyeglasses, power wrapped around him like a heavy cologne.

"Takatori-san!" Nakazawa Yasuichi, Kondo Hiroshi, and Yomitsune Kenta all gathered around to discuss his exploits. Kayla paused near them, serving drinks to other people as she listened. "The position of Prime Minister is going to be yours," Nakazawa said happily, "I can just feel it in my bones."

"I'm sure the confirmation vote would be in your favor too." Kondo laughed heartily.

"That is good news to hear." Reiji joined the laughter. He could feel it in his bones too. With the influence he bought, he knew the votes would be in his favor.

"We are happy for you," a tall man with a trimmed brown beard and mustache said. He was Takatori Shuuichi, the current Chief of Police in Tokyo. The man was also dressed in white. Most of the men were.

"Thank you, Shuuichi." Reiji clapped his younger brother on the shoulder.

"The fundraising party is going extremely well," Shuuichi commented. "Don't you think so?" Shuuichi asked his assistant. Kayla turned her head to at the sound of a rustling kimono.

"Very much so," Hanae Kitae responded. To a few select people, she was known as Manx. While here in public, she downplayed her skills to become a demure date for a close work fried.

"It is all thanks to Hirofumi's hard work." Reiji nodded towards his oldest son, standing sullenly in the distance, mindful of the guests. "He did everything for me tonight. I couldn't ask for a better child."

"Good evening, Papa." Ouka appeared before the group and smiled shyly at the older people.

"Ouka-san!" Shuuichi smiled sincerely, eyes lighting up at his niece. "You look beautiful." Ouka bowed prettily to her uncle. Suddenly, a man came up to the group to whisper something in the Chief's ear. "Please excuse me for a minute," Shuuichi apologized to everyone before he left the group with Manx.

Ouka stopped Kayla from walking off. "Aah, yes." Kayla lowered her platter for the girl so she could take a nonalcoholic beverage. _Sakaki Ouka? Isn't that what Kirei called her? So where's Bombay?_ Kayla looked around for the young assassin but he had vanished.

* * *

Inside an unlit office, Takatori Hirofumi argued fiercely with Omi. Hirofumi demanded the names of the people sent to kill him. "Tell me, Mamoru!" Hirofumi gripped Omi's shoulders painfully, eyes narrowed. "Those people are using you!"

"No!" Omi argued. "What you're doing is wrong!"

"Those people are lying to you." Hirofumi shook him without thinking. All he wanted was his brother to see his place was with his real family. "Join me and we'll be powerful. We can make everything right."

Blue eyes burned intensely. "I won't!" Hirofumi gaped at his shout. Omi fought to be free of his brother's grip. "I won't grow up to become a cruel adult like you!" Omi stormed out of the room.

Hirofumi watched Omi's retreating back. The shock wore off quickly to be replaced by frustration at Omi's rejection. He needed to make Omi understand that he was Takatori Mamoru!

"I can help you."

Hirofumi took a step back, not recognizing the voice. The man approached from the doorway, lifting his head to reveal his features. Schuldig smirked at the frown on Hirofumi's face. "Just let me do the work. I'll bring him to your penthouse. And you can make him understand."

"What's your game, Schuldig?" Hirofumi asked suspiciously. His father's bodyguards had no reason to talk to him. Hirofumi was aware Reiji hired Schwarz as a special unit but father and son no idea how special Schwarz really was.

"I'm trying to help." Schuldig said, not at all convincingly before he left the room. He stopped in the hallway that led back to the party, eyeing a man entering an office in front of him. _Tokizo Masaya_ , Schuldig realized. He wanted to eavesdrop but he did promise Takatori Hirofumi he would get that boy for him. Schuldig passed it up with a shrug.

Two men held a secret meeting, using the hospitality of their hosts to mask their true intentions. Schuldig saw Tokizo surreptitiously enter the room. The other person already present was Christopher Merache, President of Merache Incorporated. He was an American businessman looking to gain a foothold in the Japanese market. He neared his thirtieth birthday, at six feet three with an average build. His smile was always open, his personality charming. He had no enemies. Perhaps he killed them all. He pulled people in with his bright green eyes. At the moment, they were shining in confidence and amusement.

In contrast, Tokizo was a career politician. H was rather tall with dark gray eyes. He parted sandy blonde hair down the left side, wore costly clothing, and for tonight, a plain gold ring about his thickest finger and a designer watch on his wrist. Masaya was usually seen with his bodyguard, Kyle Harrison, but he had left Harrison's side to show his confidence.

"Please sit, Merache-san." Tokizo gestured to the large office chair at the desk. Merache went around to sit in the chair behind the desk, leaving the one in front for gathered his annoyance and buried it.

"What is it that you need from me?" Merache asked, getting comfortable in the padded leather chair.

"News about your business," Tokizo said boldly. "I want to know how things are going with your firm."

"Are you planning to invest in it?" Merache asked slyly.

"I want to know about your competition," Tokizo pressed pass Merache's words. He wanted to hear about the deeper, darker workings of Merache, Inc. "I heard you benefited immensely since moving here."

"Competition." Merache's smile grew wider, filling his face with white teeth. "We don't have any that we can't take care of."

"You buy them out?" Tokizo raised his eyebrow, leaning in to hear Merache's answer better.

"We do in a way." Merache's smile vanished without warning. The look in his green eyes was calculating, startling the politician with their quick change. "We pay for their retirement." Merache nodded, straightening his back so he seemed to tower over despite still being seated like a king on his throne. "We have three senile advisors that need to retire once and for all for the sake of the Takatori family. Once our friend wins the election for Prime Minister, some offices will be cleaned out."

Tokizo chuckled darkly. His heart pounded rapidly in anticipation of the future. "What about the Takatori family?"

"I think Kritiker might have something in store for them," Merache said off-handedly.

"Have you warned him?" Tokizo demanded heatedly. Gray eyes came to life at the opportunity to warn his long-time friend to earn another favor to be called upon.

"I think it's far too late for a warning," Merache drawled, leaning back into the chair's padding. He gave Tokizo a distant look. Merache wouldn't give any more answers about his company.

Both men exited the room one after the other, putting ten minutes between them. Merache rejoined the party, standing near the orchestra. He seemed enchanted. Finally, the musicians stopped for a reprieve. Merache walked alongside one violinist in particular. "You played wonderfully," Merache complimented, lavishing unadulterated attention on Jade.

Jade turned sharply, facing the happy man. She gave him a confused look. "Do I know you, sir?"

"No." Merache gave her a charming smile. "But I was hoping you might want to get to know me."

"I'm sorry." Jade bowed slightly to the stranger. His words sounded too close to a pick-up line. She knew it wasn't meant to be one from his demeanor. It bordered on fatherly pride and genuine admiration. "I'm working right now."

"I understand," Merache said, disappointed. The girl was beautiful in her long backless dress. She carried herself proudly. When he first heard the music, his eyes immediately fell on the young violinist. "I shall leave you if you do me one favor," Merache said, walking beside Jade. "Play me your favorite piece," Merache begged. He refused to leave her side until she complied.

Jade studied the man. She couldn't place him at all. Jade gently touched his mind for information but the innocently eager smile was not betrayed by dark intentions. Merache truly wanted to hear a solo piece from her. "Any piece then!" Merache amended when Jade remained silent for too long.

"All right," Jade responded finally. Merache followed obediently towards the stage for her violin. Merache joined her in the shadows to hear a quiet, extremely short performance.

"Wondeful!" Merache complimented sincerely even though Jade knew her playing was mediocre at best. "I shall keep my promise." Merache bowed, clasping her hands but to Jade's immense relief did not kiss them. "But it looks like you have another suitor." He walked away without another word.

"Another what?" Jade turned to the man whom Merache referred to as her "second suitor." He was handsome, tall and muscular in a white tuxedo and green tie that complimented his knowing hazel eyes beautifully. An odd feeling washed over her body from the presence of a stronger psi-talent. It unnerved her, melting her shields and leaving gaps around her mind.

"Pachelbel's Canon in D," Crawford said softly. "It was lovely to hear." Jade inclined her head in gratitude, violet eyes never off his face. She sensed for Kayla, terrified and unsure of the reason why. "Please allow me." Crawford held up his hand to guide Jade from the shadows. "What's your name?" Crawford inquired politely, seeing Nagi's interested look from the corner of his eye.

"Yamada Michiko," Jade replied softly with her alias.

"Michiko-san, have a drink?" The command was masked as a question. _There's no doubt about it. She_ is _Panther._ He plucked a crystal glass from a server's plate, offering it delicately like a rose.

Jade accepted the offered drink but remained holding it. Having a muddled head in the presence of this cunning stranger was not practical. "Who are you?"

"Brad Crawford." Crawford led her to the middle of the room, showing her he was not afraid to be seen with her. "Are you are here alone?"

"Yes," Jade replied before she could stop herself. She berated herself for talking so much. Why was it about this man that made her so open?

"I can change that," Crawford offered playfully. Seconds dragged like hours. Jade feared she was frozen forever in the abyss, held by the tiny worlds reflecting from the man's eyes. His look shifted. The man was no longer sincere and pleasant despite his cajoling voice. There was something ominous about him now. Jade took a step back, mind sharpening after recovering from the powerful influence of Crawford's presence.

"No, thank you." Jade said in a controlled voice. Jade retreated quickly until she found shelter. _I'm_ not _hiding_ , she tried to convince herself. She turned her attention to the crowd, searching for her team. Merache unnerved her with his request as innocent as it was and then Crawford blindsided her. Jade pondered both situations. Something was off about the both of them. "This is bad," she growled, thinking this was one of the many reasons she hated men.

"What is?" a young boy's voice asked after overhearing her words.

Jade turned quickly, saw nothing, and then looked down. Her escape placed her next to a short, teenaged boy of fifteen or so in a white tuxedo. Nagi saw Crawford paying attention to the woman and he was curious why. "I just can't find my ride," Jade said quickly. "I don't know how I'll get home."

"You can always call a taxi," Nagi suggested helpfully, blue eyes observant. "There are plenty outside for this purpose."

"Thank you for reminding me," Jade said, moving away. The boy moved with her like her shadow. When she opened her mouth to scold, he merely gazed at her knowingly. Fright exploded full force inside her body at those bright blue eyes. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. They were like Crawford's, ominously calculating. Jade reached out to touch his mind but his mental shields blocked her easily. He wove the protection so well, it was seamless.

"Who _are_ you?" Jade put iron in her voice with effort. She was not going to run from some little boy. She could literally feel her glacial armor cracking around Nagi, brittle pieces shattering on the ground.

Merache's risky introduction was the catalyst to open her shields. Merache didn't know what aftereffects he caused by forcing Jade to intrude on his mind. Crawford was a man of subtlety and advanced planning, placing Jade near Merache before they spoke and beside Nagi after. He foresaw Schuldig would not be around tonight. It was for the best. Crawford didn't want the rash telepath to become involved just yet. He might change the future Crawford planned. Schuldig would be excluded until Crawford could gain full control of the board. Schwarz played the game to win. Rosenkruez instilled into them that failure was a worse outcome than death.

A weakened barrier made Jade's mind jump from subject to subject. Nagi's sudden appearance was too hard _not_ to focus on. _A Japanese boy,_ she judged his physical appearance. _But_ blue _eyes?_ Her thoughts threatened to rattle on without direction. _Nanami has blue eyes too but she is only half Japanese._ Thinking of Nanami did the trick. It gave her a more familiar road to follow among the white noise of the crowd's collective minds. She hadn't checked in with her team yet! Jade strode towards the kitchen door to meet Kayla with another full tray. Jade took a glass from Kayla's tray, exchanging it for the one Crawford offered her. She raised the glass to cover her moving mouth, not trusting her team link after meeting Crawford. "Did you see anything?" Jade asked.

"Raven and Viper said our targets are leaving now."

"Good." Jade finished her glass of juice, its tartness restoring her senses. "I'll meet you by our car."

* * *

Ouka was in a dangerous situation. A spurned admirer tried to take advantage of the girl in Omi's absence. Omi arrived in time to scare the idiot away. Ouka cried in his arms. Guilt-ridden, Omi hugged her tightly to still her shuddering body.

"Omi-kun," Ouka looked up at Omi. She leaned in to kiss him and this time, Omi couldn't stop her. Omi lost himself in that moment.

"Omi-kun." Kirei mouthed in distress, a witness to the scene above. He and his date were recognizable on the balcony. _Stay focused_ , Kirei steeled her heart, ignoring the boy. Nanami got ready to drive the white limousine to the front door. She turned towards the interior of the restaurant. The temptation to look up at the balcony filled her. "The targets are coming now," Kirei reported in a sharp voice.

"I'm in position now," Nanami said. Kirei ran towards the door and held it open for the approaching trio.

"Thank you for coming." Kirei bowed low to the three politicians. They got in unaware of their chauffeur was now Nanami. Karmesinrot Rache's car turned the corner to pick up Kirei after the luxury car left.

Kirei looked up to see Omi one last time behind black-tinted windows. Even through the opaque glass, she could make out the flame-red head of the stranger. "Panther!" Kirei hissed as she saw the tall man sling the unconscious Omi over his shoulder. His balance on the narrow ledge was uncanny. "Panther! Bombay's being kidnapped!" Kirei watched in horror as the man leapt from the balcony to the adjacent roof top. He ran off, done easily with the seventeen year old boy as dead weight.

"We can't help him!" Jade snapped impatiently. Bombay's welfare was nowhere on her mind after her solo adventure. "We have a mission!"

Kirei stared out the window intently trying to find that strange man again. "I think I've seen him before!" Kirei exclaimed hurriedly. "When our target was Sasaki!"

"We'll deal with him later!" Jade shot back. The edge in her voice was aimed at the world, not just at her team. She sped up to catch up with the white limo.

"Still no jet-powered turbo propulsion system?" Kayla asked wryly.

"Not unless we take a pay cut," Jade explained as she tailgated the long car through Tokyo.

Nanami wore the oversized chauffeur's cap and jacket so if the men tried to look at the driver, they would see a uniformed person. Hopefully they wouldn't look too closely at her face or how she tucked her long hair into the cap.

"Drop me off first," Nakazawa ordered, slurring the words. Fat drunk men were not as entertaining as one would think. Nanami made a turn onto a side street. The three men went back to discussing corrupt politics and the even more corrupt upcoming election.

"I honestly think Tokizo-san would have a better chance at Prime Minister if he ran for it," Kondo said to the others. He was a rarity. He hadn't drunk any beverages needing fermentation of organic products the entire night. The self-imposed restriction gave him the power over the other two. "It is a shame he doesn't want to run."

"Tokizo-san is scared of Takatori-san," Nakazawa replied sleepily. "He won't dare compete with him even in politics."

"I think Tokizo-san deserves more credit," Yomitsune argued. "He's not one to give up power easily."

"Like us." Nakazawa laughed heartily. "Takatori-san would fill in our shoes very well."

Nanami gripped the steering wheel hard until her hands were white from blood constriction. That name belonged to the one man she needed to kill before she died. He had haunted her dreams, sending her onto this bloody path of life.

"Tokizo Masaya," Nanami whispered in the darkness.

"Raven, pull over already!" Jade commanded her friend. They were far enough from the city. Nanami braked slowly so the three wouldn't get suspicious. Nanami got out of the car and closed it as quietly as she could.

"Hey!" Yomitsune shouted as he looked out the window. "Where are we?"

"Driver!" Kondo opened the side window to call back the driver but there was no one around. They were in an open lot.

"What is going on?" Nakazawa asked the two stupidly, finally waking from his doze. The car beeped and then rocked, jostling the three old men inside. The window Konda opened rose upwards, locking in place with the other windows and doors.

"What the fuck is going on?" Yomitsune demanded, hands prying the unmoving door handle. The others were doing the same with no success. The small television, an accessory included in the limousine, dropped down with a whir of rotating gears. The screen turned on by itself.

"What the hell?" Nakazawa watched two large letters form in the screen. A large KR appeared first. A small arc of four glowing dots in green, blue, purple, and white appeared above the letters.

"Welcome to Hell," Jade's voice began their victims' death message.

"It's an all expense paid trip," Kayla added blandly as if she was talking about the weather.

"One way flight," Kirei's musical voice said brightly, a stark contrast of her older teammates.

"Courtesy of Karmesinrot Rache," Nanami finished off wickedly.

The limousine exploded in a fireball of raw power. Before Nanami took over as driver, she planted several bombs near the vital parts of the car. When the limousine exploded, Karmesinrot Rache's car was revealed by the sudden increase of light.

"Good job, Karmesinrot Rache," Jade commended, watching the rain of flaming metal. A tire bounced away, scorching the pavement along its trip. "Mission accomplished."

"Let's go home," Nanami said softly beside Jade. She was not in the mood to continue with anything else.

Kirei placed her hand on Jade's shoulder but stole a look at Nanami quickly. _What is wrong with her?,_ she wondered. Nanami kept secrets close. Thoughts were treated the same way. She shook off her concern to Nanami and placed it on someone else. "What about Bombay?"

"What about him?" Jade asked, looking back at Kirei. "He got himself into trouble. He can get himself out."

"But I want to save him!" Kirei bounced in the seat beside Kayla. The look on her face grew pinched. She desired revengeful action. "So I can kill him!"

"Works for me." Kayla shrugged. Their mission was done so her worries were buried along with the victims in their metal tomb.

"Not for me," Jade said darkly, pulling away from Kirei's touch. "If Balinese got into that position, I'll just let him die."

"Stop being a lazy assassin!" Kirei scolded. "The best part is killing him yourself!"

"Fine! Since everyone's against me, we'll save his ass so you can kill him yourself." Jade started the car. Nanami groaned at her words, scowling the entire trip back to Tokyo to search for Omi.

"Guess what I did." Kayla smirked in the back seat.

"What?" Nanami asked, breaking out of her silence in curiosity.

"I placed a tracker on Bombay when I bumped into him at the party!" Kayla bragged.

"Good girl!" Jade complimented Kayla's thoughtfulness. "That makes things much easier!"

"Let's get this over with," Nanami muttered. She hated the idea of rescuing one of Kritiker's men, even if she was outnumbered by her team and on Chimera's orders to make sure the rival team survived. _We got a crappy deal_ , she groused.


	17. Mission 04 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 04 Herzlos – Heartless (Miserable Lies)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

Karmesinrot Rache followed the radio signal until they reached Takatori Hirofumi's penthouse. Hirofumi did not offer to give his brother the grand tour. Instead, he gripped a wooden bat in sweaty hands. Insanity filled his eyes as he beat Omi brutally. The poor boy was stripped off his suit jacket and shirt before tied by the hands to the ceiling's chandelier fixture. Hirofumi demanded his loyalty and information with each blow. Omi refused to give it. "I'm not telling you!" Omi cried again and again, tender lips bitten clean through to cope with the reoccurring pain. Blood leaked out from his mouth to slide down his broken body.

"Where are your friends?" Hirofumi demanded, emphasizing each word with a liberal blow.

"They've come," Schuldig said to himself. He smiled at the presence of the intruders. They were near, marked by their wary minds.

Weiß stood ready for Omi's rescue but they didn't know whether Omi's loyalties were with them. Yohji laid flat in the air vents, watching the proceeding with a throbbing ache in his soul that matched Omi's suffering. Ken stayed on the balcony, hidden from view. And lastly, Aya hid behind a bookcase after forcing entry into the penthouse.

"I have only contempt for you!" Omi spat, spittle landing on his brother's shirt. He had the will to fight this. To fight the man who claimed to his brother. "You're not my family! You're not my brother!" Omi shouted finally, jerking forward to free his hands.

Weiß made their move. Ken crashed through the window of the balcony, glass flying around him. Aya jumped forward, sword swinging. Yohji dropped down, hands grabbing the edge of the grate and then sliding headfirst until enough of his body had room to flip over so he landed his feet.

"So these are your friends, Mamoru?" Hirofumi asked when Ken broke in, reaching for his gun. Aya's attack caused Hirofumi to fall in retreat. When Ken and Yohji tried to make the kill, the man vanished from his spot on the floor. Weiß gaped when Hirofumi reappeared with Schuldig protecting him.

"Run," Schuldig ordered Hirofumi, eyes on his enemies' faces. Hirofumi didn't need to be told twice. He fled while Schuldig prevented Weiß from following. Yohji's wire shot out but Schuldig dodged it easily. Ken attacked but the man dodged just as easily. "I've seen your faces," Schuldig said smugly. "Your lives are mine. Like Ouka's. If you want to fight me again, meet in the Minato Park in one hour or she dies!" With that, the man leapt out of the window backwards and vanished from Weiß's views.

Aya cut Omi's bonds. "Can you stand, Omi?" Aya asked the youth gently, concern evident in his voice.

"Ouka-san!" Omi managed to call out before he began coughing. Sharp stabs of pain flared with each breath when his bruised ribs expanded against his muscles. "We have to save her!"

"What about Takatori Hirofumi?" Ken asked and then bit his tongue. The look Omi gave him tore into his soul.

"Why did he do that to me? Why are the Takatoris doing this?" Omi asked Aya, the only one capable of understanding his betrayal.

"You are not Takatori Mamoru," Aya said, placing both hands on his shoulders. "You are Tsukiyono Omi."

"Aya-kun." Omi cried grateful tears. He was with his real family again.

* * *

"That was a total waste of our time," Jade complained as she watched Weiß enter the building to rescue Omi.

"It's for the best," Kirei said slowly, pushing off the guardrails bordering the sides of the roof and turning towards the stairs. "I think this was something Weiß needed to do for Bombay."

"You could have figured that out earlier." Kayla nudged Kirei. "That would have saved us some time and gas."

"It's not like we pay for the gas," Kirei complained back to her. "Chimera does."

"With his magic credit account," Kayla replied.

"C'mon, we gotta save Ouka-san!" Kirei said, running towards the staircase.

* * *

"Let me go!" Ouka demanded shrilly as Schuldig checked her bonds inside his car.

"Be quiet!" Schuldig demanded, pulling the ropes tighter around her slim wrists, ignoring her chafed skin. "If you don't shut up, I won't tell you a story about that boy you love." When Ouka turned deathly silent, Schuldig put on his best narrator voice. "There was a boy named Takatori Mamoru. He was the youngest child of Takatori Reiji, your _father_." Schuldig smirked knowingly. "That same boy was kidnapped and then presumed dead. But in fact he survived and became Tsukiyono Omi. Your _boyfriend_."

"Omi-kun?" Ouka whispered breathlessly, feeling horror bloom in her stomach, making her sick. Her world spun. "I don't believe you," Ouka said finally when she regained her voice. She _couldn't_ believe him.

"Ask him yourself. He already knows. Omi- _kun_ is a Takatori and your half-brother by blood." Schuldig laughed at the look on Ouka's face. It was changing from horror to deep sorrow. "So where does this leave you?" Schuldig reached over to stroke Ouka's hair.

"Stop touching me!" Ouka screamed. Then she kicked him, struggling until she almost slid off the seat. Schuldig grabbed her leg and forced it down.

"See this?" Schuldig pulled out his gun. "So behave. Your boyfriend is coming for you." Schuldig punched Ouka swiftly in the stomach, knocking her out. Carrying the still load over his shoulder, Schuldig brought her deeper into the park and tied her against a large wide pole. "Almost time for the show to begin." Schuldig smiled in satisfaction. The stage was set perfectly and all he needed was the players.

"We like to be early," Nanami's deadpan voice said from the shadows. Karmesinrot Rache stepped out to face Schuldig.

"Who are you?" Schuldig stared hungrily, unable to see their faces clearly behind their dark wraparound sunglasses. His eyes fell on Nanami and Kayla. Something about them clicked. Schuldig smiled widely. Things were going to get more interesting than he had hoped.

"So which one is Panther?" Schuldig asked, strolling up to them. Jade's power brushed across Schuldig's senses in a reflexive answer. Schuldig grasped at the psychic thread swiftly before it could be lost among the millions of minds of Tokyo.

"I am," Jade purred softly. "And you would be my prey."

"I'll be more than you can chew, kätzchen." Schuldig licked his lips seductively. He moved onto their team link, testing its strength carefully. Jade smothered a gasp at the psychic touch trying to foul her telepathy. She didn't know exactly what was happening to her but it had to be from him. So she attacked. Schuldig vanished and reappeared quickly some distance away. The lightness of his footsteps revealed he was faster than her.

"Who are you?" Jade demanded furiously. Her search of his mind was stopped by an impregnable shield.

"Schuldig," the German answered honestly. He had nothing to fear from the inferior. Already, he saw the chinks in her mental shield. _They are definitely not trained by Eszet_ , the more powerful telepath thought, intrigued about Karmesinrot Rache's origins.

Kayla shot at Schuldig's throat. But his battle experience saved him and he dodged, letting the arrow fly overhead. "It looks you four might be better playmates than those men." Especially Panther. He definitely liked her enough to kill her. "The girl is yours." Schuldig gestured to Ouka.

"Don't touch her again," Kirei warned dangerously.

"Can't guarantee that," Schuldig replied honestly.

"You'd better," Kirei said darkly. "Or you will die by my hands."

Schuldig laughed. He enjoyed threats. "Fine. I won't touch her again," Schuldig replied. "I prefer playing with cats better." Schuldig looked at Jade meaningfully. Weiß was running towards them so Schuldig vanished from the premises.

"Consider this a favor," Jade said casually with Kayla guarding her back.

Nanami kept a tight grip on Kirei's arm to warn the girl to not say anything as the two walked past. "He won't go after Ouka again," Nanami said. "We made sure of that." Karmesinrot Rache left Weiß alone with Ouka.

"That was…interesting," Ken said tentatively, not knowing what other word would describe their confrontation just now. "Is Ouka-san okay?"

"Ouka-san?" Omi ran towards Ouka. "She's still alive."

"They fought that man and he left first," Yohji said. "Do you think he ran for it?"

"Those girls are scary." Ken shook his head. "I don't know what to think of them."

"Then don't bother," Aya said, helping Omi carry Ouka towards her car. "Let's get her home."

Weiß returned Ouka to her apartment. Omi gave the most uncomfortable explanation ever to her mother. However, her mother didn't question him too hard and was relieved Ouka was safe. She thanked the boy and told him to visit Ouka when she woke up. Omi promised he will, not knowing he had family now. Omi returned to the car when Yohji spoke up.

"I hate to bring this up but the mission still isn't finished," Yohji reminded the team.

"I'll take care of it," Omi said. "I have to."

Omi knew where his brother was. Omi placed a tracker on the man when they were in the office together. He tracked him to one of the suspension bridges where Omi cut him off at the other side. _I am Tsukiyono Omi_ , Omi aimed the crossbow at Hirofumi's approaching car. _Not Takatori Mamoru._ He released the large arrow. It impacted the car's windshield, going straight through the body of Takatori Hirofumi. The car passed him and Omi closed his eyes at the sound of its crash. "I am Tsukiyono Omi," Omi whispered alone on the bridge as the car burned. But the pain of his deed was still there.

* * *

Ouka stood in front of the store behind the mass of adoring sycophants. She took a deep breath and walked on. Her love for Omi was still there and it was killing her. He was family. She asked her mother about Takatori Mamoru like Schuldig said. Her mother told her about Mamoru's supposed death. The family photo she had of her father's family was evidence as well.

"Ouka-san!" Omi drove by in the scooter they used for deliveries. "Ouka-san?" Omi called when Ouka ran the other way. Omi sped up and caught up with the running girl quickly. He got off his scooter and grabbed her hand. When she faced him, she had tears in her eyes.

"Omi-kun!" Ouka hugged him, throwing away her caution because the awful feeling wouldn't disappear unless the truth came out. "I need to tell you something," Ouka said quietly. "Can we talk somewhere?"

Omi gestured to the scooter. Ouka got on behind him. Omi drove them to the bridge where Ouka found him thinking about his family. Ouka started to cry again.

"Omi-kun," Ouka cried, "I really like you."

"I like you too, Ouka-san," Omi said, surprised at her behavior but more importantly, he was concerned. She had been fine when she woke up but Omi noticed she avoided the flower shop after her second kidnapping.

"Omi-kun, what would you do if you found out something about someone and their family?" Ouka asked him. Omi blinked. "Omi-kun, what's your name?" Ouka asked. "Your real name."

"But you know that."

"No, your _real_ name," Ouka pressed.

She wanted no lies. He could see as much in her eyes. Breakng down, he told her his birth name. "Takatori Mamoru," Omi confessed.

"My father is Takatori Reiji," Ouka admitted. Her voice sounded dreadful even to her own ears. "You're his youngest son."

"How did you know?" Omi exclaimed and then it hit him. "What?"

"Omi-kun, you're my older brother," Ouka sobbed, turning away.

"I'm your brother?" Omi's vision blurred as the news sank in. "We're half siblings."

"I really like Omi-kun," Ouka sobbed harder. "Really."

Omi hugged her from behind. "I like Ouka-san too," Omi said softly in her ear. "And I still do." Ouka turned to face him. "But I like having a sister more. A family with Ouka-san in it." Omi smiled, wiping away her tears. "You make a very cute little sister."

"Omi-kun, thank you," Ouka hugged him tightly.

"Ouka-san, can you do me a favor?" Omi asked. "It's very important."

"Yes?"

"Can you not tell anyone about this?" Omi asked. "I want to be the first one to say something."

"Not even Papa?" Ouka asked, confused. "What about Mama?"

"Please?" Omi pleaded. The news was dangerous if it leaked out.

"I promise," Ouka swore.

"Thank you," Omi hugged her. Ouka knew her love was misplaced but it wasn't wrong. She had an older brother now. And she was grateful.

* * *

After the girls returned from their mission, Kirei had gone into a roller coaster of emotions from the scene between Omi and Ouka. Even though the girl knew in her heart that Omi liked her, it was hard not to be jealous. "Jade was right. Boys complicate things," Kirei said in her quiet room.

Kayla stood in the doorway of their front door, studying a brown package on their doorstep quizzically. "Jade!" Kayla called out until the girl came.

Jade stopped next to her. "What's that?"

"We have a package," Kayla stated bluntly.

"I can see that," Jade replied in the same tone. "What if it's a bomb?" Jade asked suspiciously, not wanting to touch it.

"We can't just leave it out front," Kayla argued. "If it's a bomb, having it on our doorstep won't do either."

"Let's send it to Koneko No Sume Ie!" Jade said excitedly. "Let them open it!"

"Jade!" Kayla scolded. "I'll open it!"

"Kayla!" Jade called out as Kayla took the package inside and proceeded to tear it open. Kayla pulled out Jade's violin from the mess of Styrofoam packaging.

"Who sent this back to me?" Jade opened the case. Inside was the violin in perfect condition with a small piece of paper on it.

"Did you get a boyfriend?" Kayla asked in pure shock. "Who's sending you gifts?"

"Did Hell freeze over and open a permanent ice skating rink?" Jade asked back.

"Did it?" Kayla asked playfully. "Man, I better get some seasonal passes."

"Please meet me for lunch and play for me sometime," Jade read off the card. "Chimera."

"Figures." Kayla shrugged. "He's probably a classical music buff."

"I only know like two songs off the top of my head and what I played for that party," Jade admitted. "How in Hell does he expected me to play for him?"

"Eh." Kayla shrugged and left Jade with her violin.

Jade cleaned up and placed the box against the wall. She took the violin to her bedroom and set the case on the bed beside her. A moment later, the first string of notes from Pachelbel's Canon D filtered through the house.


	18. Mission 05 Falle - Trap

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 05 Falle – Trap (The Shadow of Schwarz)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

Schwarz spent the evening in their own residence supplied by Eszet's funds. Each man was issued a bedroom, a private bathroom, and shared two living areas not including the laundry and kitchen. The larger living space held the entertainment center. The smaller one was assigned to be Nagi's workroom.

Nagi ignored the Irishman at his feet, intense blue eyes on the computer screen. Farfarello did likewise, uninterested in whatever Nagi was doing to the machine. Farfarello's one eye focused on the living room where Schuldig and Crawford were in the middle of a heated conversation over the death of Takatori Hirofumi.

"It was Weiß." Crawford tire of repeating himself to Schuldig, whom to Crawford seemed like he was always arguing with him lately. "They were seen on camera attacking Mr. Takatori's son in his mansion. Who else would kill him?"

"What about those girls?" Schuldig grumbled, rubbing his sore sides. Bruises shaped like golf club heads marred his face and body. Word had gotten to the Takatori patriarch that his precious daughter was manhandled by one of his bodyguards. It took all of Crawford's influence to stop Takatori's wrath before Schuldig got his skull crushed. It was another reason Crawford's normally bland expression showed irritation.

"Schreient?" Crawford asked, taken back. Schreient wouldn't do such a thing to a Takatori. Schuldig must have been mistaken. After the death of their master, Takatori Masufumi, Schreient returned to Eszet's headquarters for new orders.

"Not those girls. I meant the ones at Minato Park," Schuldig explained impatiently. "The one called Panther with her team."

"Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Crawford glared at Schuldig for keeping that from him.

"I was being beaten over the head with a nine iron!" Schuldig shot back, angry at his leader. "I have other things on my mind than reporting everything to you!"

Crawford silently admitted Schuldig had a point. "Panther," Crawford scoffed at the name. His meeting with the girl told him she was not a real danger. But he was a careful man. Their involvement could destroy Eszet's plans if they were not reined in. "We may need to make changes."

"Are we no longer protecting Takatori?" Nagi asked hopefully, turning around to face the older men. The man didn't appreciate them at all. Reiji was constantly making snide remarks at Farfarello and ignoring Nagi's contribution to the team because Takatori thought lowly of his young age.

"We are still." Crawford adjusted the glasses on his face. "I need to get in contact with Eszet before we can change the orders." Crawford left the room without another word, leaving the three to dwell on what he said.

"He didn't even tell us who Panther was!" Schuldig realized suddenly after Crawford's unannounced departure. The German started to go after his leader.

"Leave him alone," Farfarello ordered in a steady voice from his spot on the floor. He pulled out a knife and polished it lovingly across the threads of his vest. "Crawford is planning for blood." Farfarello watched the flow of light across the blade in a trance. "Rivers will cut through the city when we're finished."

"It better be Takatori's," Nagi said darkly. He decided he hated the man. Nagi followed orders without fail but no one could order him to like the politician and expect him to succeed. It was too hard to obey.

Farfarello looked at him with a faint reassuring smile. Of all the members of Schwarz, he was the most observant. Nagi voiced his dislike only once in an out of character rant and Farfarello remembered every word. "It will be," Farfarello replied calmly. "There are many reasons to kill Takatori."

"What are you doing, Nagi?" Schuldig walked over to take a look at the computer screen.

"I don't like it when you stare over my shoulder," Nagi said in irritation. He pulled his chair closer to the desk, getting comfortable and explained his search. "I'm looking at the security footage from Takatori's party."

"Why? You got a cute girl in mind?" Schuldig grinned, teasing the young boy.

"No." Nagi scowled at Schuldig. "I think Crawford does," Nagi replied, zooming in to show the musicians. "This is the girl." Nagi pointed to the disguised Jade. "I saw Crawford talking to her."

"Stick-up-his-ass Crawford was actually smiling?" Schuldig asked in real shock as Nagi clicked on another scene.

"Do you know her?" Nagi asked. "I've never seen her before. I tried talking to her but she walked away from me."

"She's scared," Farfarello said, looking over Nagi's other shoulder. "I can tell from her face."

"How?" Schuldig studied the enhanced image. "She looks normal to me."

"You're not perceptive at all," Farfarello said, returning to his spot on the floor. "Fear is on her face. It's like the frosting on cake."

Schuldig scrutinized the picture harder. "She does look familiar though. Maybe I saw her passing by me at the party."

"Where were you anyway?" Nagi asked accusingly, entering another command to bring up more shots of the party for examination. "You ditched us."

"The party was boring in the first place. I had other business to take care of." Schuldig straightened his green jacket importantly.

"Like kidnapping and extortion which resulted in a beating?" Nagi asked, smirking slightly.

"You won't understand." Schuldig glared at him, speaking the words Takatori Reiji often used. Nagi bristled at the unjust treatment, sending Schuldig a baleful look. It went unnoticed as the recipient walked out of the room. Schuldig's mind was on the scene of Crawford talking to the mysterious woman.

Crawford sat in front of his personal laptop in his room. Crawford browsed through his folders until he came to the one he needed. He had been working on it for the past seven years. This particular file was a secret. Practically no one knew he was interested in such a topic. "Karmesinrot Rache's in Tokyo," Crawford mused at a group photograph of Karmesinrot Rache in full assassin gear. "Let's see what you have been up to."

The time passed quickly for a man deeply immerged in his work. So when a sudden vision came to tell him of the future, Crawford was unsurprised it was related to his project. The vision took control of all his senses. When Crawford was released from his power, he leaned back from his laptop. _It's quite convenient_ , Crawford's mind working to exploit what he saw. _The news I get from my sources will still be out of date by a month. There's only one sure way to get updated information and that's from Karmesinrot Rache directly._

* * *

Crawford stood up, a plan formulating swiftly in his mind. Crawford shut off his laptop and then stored it away in his briefcase which he locked inside the lower desk drawer. Crawford left the room to find the others. They have much to do before dawn.

Jade cooked a simple breakfast with Kayla at her elbow. The younger girl was more interested in singing along to the radio than assisting. " _Every time we meet in the street by chance, my doubts deepened_ ," Kayla sang loudly without care, slightly off-key. " _That strange guy who appears everywhere I go because I'm always doing something dangerous_." Kayla shook her hips in time to the beat. " _So no matter what I do, he worries me._ " Kayla smiled at Jade encouragingly.

"Love trap," Jade finished off in a flat voice in contrast to Kayla's exuberant performance. Despite Jade's lack of enthusiasm, Kayla enjoyed her efforts. Having enough of the free concert in the kitchen, Jade threw in the towel. "I'm going to get Kirei and Nanami."

Kayla took over Jade's position at the stove to make sure their breakfast didn't burn. " _I see a red door and I want to paint it black_ ," Kayla plunged onwards to the ending.

Kirei was huddled in a ball on her bed, muttering about injustices after waking but lacking the desire to get out of bed. "Time to get dressed, Kirei," Jade called out softly.

Kirei rolled over onto her side at Jade's words, clinging to her blanket. The skies were gray today. _Perfect_ , Kirei thought dully, listening to the wind whip around the heavy branches outside her window. Just when she thought she found a boy who was decent and well-mannered, he turned out to be an assassin. Worse than that, he was also a liar.

Jade walked into the room. "What's wrong, Kirei?" Jade gazed at the tear-stained face.

"Boys suck," Kirei moaned pitifully as she sat up in bed.

"They do." Jade stroked Kirei's hair. "C'mon, let's get out of bed," Jade said, giving a rare smile full of fondness. "It's a dreary morning and there's enough falling water without adding your tears to it."

Kirei went to wash up, a pretty sight even in rumpled clothes and watery eyes. Jade watched the girl leave the room. She stared at the doorway. Innocence in an assassin seemed so unlikely but there was some still left in Kirei. Jade wanted to protect it. She knew Nanami felt the same way.

"Speaking of Nanami." Jade walked over to Nanami's bedroom. She entered the extremely dark room, black curtains over the windows hiding all light. "Nanami, are you up yet?" Jade walked closer when she realized Nanami was having a nightmare. "Wake up!" Jade said loudly, reaching down to touch her. Jade's mind exploded with images on contact.

 _A monstrous man with eyes blacked out loomed over a small figure. Red water burned fiercely as the shrieking wind swept the water against her skin, scorching as it tried to drag her under. The sand rose up and fell apart, forming two uneven hills creating graves._

Jade fell backwards on the floor with a shuddering gasp, invisible claws ripping painfully into her mind. Those images were from Nanami's nightmare amplified by Jade's powers. The air in the room picked up. Things began falling over from the force. The curtains in Nanami's room snapped with loud flapping noises. Nanami moaned. Light gray smoke filled the room. The curtains were charring. Jade ran towards Nanami and slapped the girl across the face.

"Jade!" Nanami's eyes blazed angrily as she was rudely awakened. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" she screamed.

"Nightmare," Jade said promptly, pointing to the messy room. "Your powers were getting out of control."

Not only where papers and pens were knocked over but the heavier items like her candles and cell phone found their way to the floor. "Sorry," Nanami apologized grumpily as she suppressed a shudder.

"Is there something wrong?" Jade asked, hands on her hips. "I really don't want you setting the house on fire." Just then, Kayla's frantic screaming of Jade's name sounded from the kitchen below them. Jade dashed downstairs to save breakfast

"Of course not when you could do a much better job," Nanami muttered before she shook herself awake. Nanami looked over her room for a second time, paying closer attention. Nothing was broken thankfully. Resolving herself to clean it when she got back from work, she got a change of clothes before going to the bathroom to wash up.

In the kitchen, Jade and Kayla scrutinized the burnt frying pan. The mass of scrambled eggs for breakfast was black goop glued onto the bottom of the pan. Kayla made a face at the smell of burnt eggs. Jade would have to clean out the pan. It wasn't an enjoyable task.

"Looks like cereal today," Kayla said with a guilty look. Jade dumped the contents in the trash with a bang of metal against plastic as confirmation of their failure.

"Yay!" Kirei cheered, bouncing into the kitchen in high spirits. The morning shower did her good. She dressed in her school uniform, braiding her long hair tightly against her head. "You can't ever burn cereal."

"We can try!" Kayla laughed with Kirei. The joyous noise was cut short by Jade's offended glare, reading "Don't you dare!" Kirei snickered but quickly muffled the sound by spooning cereal into her mouth when Jade sent a second incensed look their way.

"We need to shop again," Jade said, making a list in her head for groceries.

"Is it really that bad?" Nanami asked, hearing their conversation as she walked in. Jade sighed, letting Nanami check the contents of the refrigerator if they needed anything specific. "Just remember to buy some more milk," Nanami reminded, closing the door. "For the cereal if breakfast gets burnt by Kayla again."

"Haha so not funny," Kayla said sarcastically, stabbing her cereal with her spoon.

"Hurry up, ladies." Jade pointed to her watch. "You're going to be late."

Kirei finished up her bowl quickly, grabbed her lunch and book bag before racing to out with Nanami. That left Kayla and Jade to clean up the room. As they did so, the radio newscasters interrupted one of Kayla's favorite songs to make an announcement.

"No!" Kayla complained with a groan when the music was cut off.

"Quiet!" Jade said quickly, "This might be important."

"At 4:35 A.M. today, the Asuka military base located 45 kilometers south of Tokyo was broken into last night by an unknown terrorist group. The group had stolen a private military helicopter with an unknown amount of bombs and ammunitions. There were no witnesses and severe property damage as the group detonated one of the bombs they stolen. The Chief of Police, Takatori Shuuichi, and the heads of the Japanese government are investigating as we speak. They also refuse to give any more statements and information at this time except for that the public should not panic and be cautious around suspicious people and abandoned property. They should also report such activity to their local law enforcement agency."

"They didn't say the name of the terrorist group," Jade criticized the report. She listened to the debate over the danger the city was in from terrorists.

"Maybe the police didn't want to release it." Kayla shrugged, mopping down the sink and tossing the paper towels away. "There might be more information available later in the day."

"I guess," Jade replied, feeling somewhat upset while she cleared off the table. After they did the dishes, they hurried to go grocery shopping before it rained.


	19. Mission 05 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 05 Falle – Trap (The Shadow of Schwarz)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

"Blah blah blah," Kirei mouthed to herself as their teacher lectured about the Civil War of the United States of America. "Eh?" Kirei looked up. Omi leaned over to drop a piece of paper on her desk. She unfolded his message. "Can you come to my house after school so we can talk in person?" Kirei read. Kirei penned her response and passed it back when the teacher wasn't looking.

Omi opened the paper, dreading a negative reply. _She said yes!_ Omi smiled to himself and looked back at Kirei to give her a grateful smile too.

* * *

With Omi in school, Kayla walked in to see the oldest three males working hard. Since it was also school time, the majority of the customers were not present. This lull in sales gave the three florists time to prepare for the sales when Omi returned. Kayla greeted the workers once inside the flower store.

"Kayla-san!" Ken's brown eyes lit up at the sight of her. Ken looked quickly behind her to the streets but she was alone. During one of their discussions about gentians, Kayla dropped the names of her friends so Ken knew each girl by name and face. "How are you?"

"I'm trying not to get rained on," Kayla replied as she walked towards him. "Jade," Yohji grunted in displeasure at the sound of her name and Aya looked like he would like to do the same, "and I are grocery shopping."

"There are no groceries here," Aya said bluntly. "Please leave at once."

"Aya!" Ken looked at his older friend in disapproval. Aya needed to stop being so picky about their customers.

"He's right," Yohji said, backing Aya up so the girl would leave before her guardian arrives. He leaned against the register counter casually. "This isn't a grocery store."

"Japanese grocery stores rarely sell the flowers I can purchase here," Kayla explained sweetly at Aya.

"Hn." Aya turned away. Ken would happy to assist her anyway. Yohji made a face behind Aya's back and snorted in amusement. Kayla had a sense of humor unlike her older guardians.

"What kind of flowers?" Ken offered his arm to be her guide again and Kayla took it automatically.

"I was hoping you would have some dahlias," Kayla said, turning to Ken.

Ken grimaced at her words. "Those are more exotic than what we carry in the store. Could we order it for you?" Ken asked, apologetically.

"I was hoping to get some today." Kayla was also disappointed. "They're for Kirei since I think she needs some cheering up."

"That's so thoughtful!" Ken exclaimed, truly thinking it was. "Did something happen?"

Kayla lowered her voice to whisper in Ken's ear which caught Yohji's and Aya's interest as well. "Kirei saw Omi-kun with another girl at Club Cue after he canceled on their plans for 'work' related purposes." Kayla explained in hushed tones. "So Kirei er...well as Jade puts it, 'hates his chibi guts' at the moment."

"That is bad," Ken muttered, feeling sorry for Omi.

"Very." Kayla nodded. "So I'm trying to cheer her up. Of course I think this would work better if the flowers came from Omi-kun instead of me...so would you do me a favor and pass it on?"

Ken nodded vigorously. "Definitely."

"I meant subtlety," Kayla added quickly, knowing Ken's occasional tactlessness with words.

Ken nodded again, his voice returning to the normal speaking volume. "Do you want me to order the dahlias for you?"

"How about this?" Kayla brightened visibly as an idea came to her. "Order the dahlias and when it comes, hint to Omi-kun to give those to Kirei instead. I'll buy another type of flower today."

"You are so devious, Kayla-san!" Ken laughed kindly.

"I try," Kayla said modestly but Ken could see the mischievous look in her eyes. "So what do you have today?" Ken led Kayla around the store to inspect their current inventory.

Aya couldn't wait until the girl left his store. He was getting paranoid her guardians would come. But then his common sense reminded him she was probably working. Aya refused to call or think of any of them by name.

"Where is everyone today?" Ken asked, picking out the freshest flowers from the lot Kayla wanted.

"Kirei is in school of course," Kayla replied, feeling completely at ease with Ken to talk about her family. "Nanami's working at a hospital. Jade's at Sanjin Café."

"She's not following you?" Ken asked, relieved. Yohji felt the same way. He hadn't seen or spoken to her for over a week. It was blissful period of time away from her cutting tongue.

"She let me come here by myself to make up for her rudeness when she saw us that day," Kayla replied, following Ken to the table where he wrapped up the bouquet.

 _That day?_ Aya and Yohji practically thought at the same time. _What 'that day' are they talking about?_ Aya was disturbed. _Not Ken too._

 _Whoa Kenken!_ Yohji beamed proudly. _All I have taught you, you are using! You made your mentor proud!_

"Thank you Ken-san!" Kayla shone with pleasure at the end of their time together. Ken wrapped up her flowers and placed them in a plastic bag for her since it might rain. "How much are they?" Kayla asked, taking out her wallet.

"No." Ken smiled, handing over the bag. "Free of charge."

"No, you can't do that!" Kayla started to take out a bill.

"No I insist!" Ken said, forcing the girl's hands to accept the bag. "Just tell Kirei-san to cheer up." Kayla bowed to Ken and then waved to the others before she left with her purchase in hand. "Goodbye!"

"She's nice," Yohji commented to the others. "I like her."

"The flowers are coming out of your paycheck," Aya said abruptly to Ken as he finished his chores for the day.

"You're being so mean today, Aya." Yohji shook his head at him. "You're not going to make friends that way."

"Hn," Aya replied, ignoring Yohji. Ken nodded, knowing Aya would say something like that. But it was worth it to make Kayla happy if it also involved helping Omi reconcile with his friend.

* * *

Jade sat with her back to the wall, eyes on the door. She kept her sunglasses on and ignored all the strange looks since the day wasn't sunny at all. She drank her tea in contentment, skimming the newspaper someone left on the table when they sat here before her. "Are you done now, Kayla?" Jade asked, looking up at the approaching girl. "What did you buy?"

"Amaryllises for Kirei's room," Kayla replied, sitting down. "Do we have a nice vase we can put them in?"

"We can buy one," Jade said, flipping through the paper. "There's another article about the terrorist bombing this morning."

"Really?" Kayla asked eagerly. "What does it say? Read it to me?"

"The terrorist group has left their calling card at the past two locations they have bombed," Jade read off quietly to Kayla.

"Two?" Kayla asked shocked. "I thought it was just one!"

"The second bombing occurred at seven A.M. this morning at an abandoned warehouse in the western district of the city. Three buildings in Juniki were destroyed in the fire." Jade looked at her watch. It was already noon.

"That's where we had the mission for Endou Yuushi!" Kayla pointed out.

"The name of the terrorist group was scrawled on the debris." Jade stared at the picture of a crumbled down section of stone wall. "Weiß?!"

Kayla reeled inside after hearing her words. "Are you sure?" she whispered, controlling her external reaction.

"Yes." Jade folded the paper before she placed it in the bag with Kirei's flowers. "We're going home to do some research." Jade went to pay for their drinks at the counter. Kayla followed the girl, holding the bag protectively against her chest as they stepped out. Once they got outside, the wind attacked them fiercely.

"This wind feels like Nanami's powers when she gets angry!" Kayla's eyes watered mercilessly. She blinked out dust being tossed into her face.

"Don't remind me." Jade held Kayla's arm to lead her down the street. Jade grimaced, swearing in her head at the wind. "Excuse me," Jade apologized after she bumped into a person while helping Kayla.

"It's alright," the stranger said warmly.

The man's voice was familiar, forcing Jade to look at him. _Brad Crawford?!_

"Jade!" Kayla called out desperately as the bag was torn from her hand by the wind. "I lost Kirei's flowers!"

"I got it!" Crawford sidestepped around the two girls nimbly and caught the bag. He handed it back to Jade, smiling pleasantly. "You better hold it."

"Thank you, sir," Kayla said gratefully, excusing Jade who was staring at Crawford behind her sunglasses.

"Have a good day, ladies." Crawford walked past them to enter the café they'd left. Jade broke out of her trance and dragged Kayla towards her car, putting as much distance between them and that man as she could.

* * *

"Momoe-obaasan!" Ken greeted the little old lady who owned Koneko No Sume Ie cheerfully after she appeared from the back door.

"Ken-san." Momoe walked in with a preoccupied look on her wrinkled face. "Have you three been watching the news?"

"No," Aya admitted. "We were busy today."

Momoe wordlessly turned on the television in their small flower store and found a news channel. "You should watch the news more often." Momoe pointed to the newscasters. "There is something very bad happening in Tokyo."

"What is this?" Aya blurted out when the word Weiß filled the screen.

"Chief of Police Takatori Shuuichi has released the name of the terrorist group bombing various locations around Tokyo. The group Weiß has stolen a military helicopter from a military base early this morning at 4:35 A.M. and then destroyed it in their escape to eliminate evidence. The bombs used were confirmed to be of the lot Weiß stole. This also applies to the warehouse bombings in Juniki around seven this morning. How long before Weiß takes their attacks to the city is unknown but mass panic is happening in parts closest to the bombings. The police had sent out riot squads to maintain safety."

"Someone is using our name!" Yohji said angrily. "Who would do such a thing?"

"The man who kidnapped Omi for one," Ken reminded them of Schuldig. "He saw our faces."

"This is Takatori Reiji's doing," Aya said firmly, his hands becoming fists. "He is behind this after we killed his sons."

"Momoe-obaasan, does Persia have any orders for us?" Ken asked Momoe.

"Persia wants you four to stay low. Do not do anything to draw attention," Momoe said. "That is all for now." Momoe left unobstrusively, giving the men time to absorb the news. Aya hoped Persia would give the order of attacking Takatori Reiji soon. If he didn't, Aya would act on his own.

* * *

Takatori Shuuichi was the current Chief of Police of Tokyo. As so, he was determined to end crime and corruption in his city even if it meant confronting his older brother about it. Manx stood behind him, checking for her hand gun inside her red purse. Takatori Reiji had called them forth, something that rarely happened.

"You don't have to go in with me," Shuuichi said, trying to persuade Manx to not endanger herself.

Manx smiled faintly at her employer. "I want to."

"Thank you." Shuuichi went in with Manx close beside him.

The two were given prompt entry into Reiji's office. Takatori faced Takatori and it was going to be a battle of wits and wills. Reiji turned to his younger brother. "How are you doing, Shuuichi?" Reiji asked, false concern saturating his oily voice. "Are you overworking yourself?"

"Slightly, brother," Shuuichi replied evenly. He saw through the act. Shuuichi kept a look of polite interest on his face.

"You're working on solving that case of the Weiß terrorist group, aren't you?" Reiji asked, his voice the same but eyes growing colder with each implication of his younger brother knowing more than he let on. "Have you found anything new about them?"

"Nothing that is significant," Shuuichi replied calmly. "I will let you know if anything surfaces."

"I see." Reiji lit a cigar and began to smoke. Manx fought the urge to say something. "You are the Chief of Police and yet you don't seem to care too much about capturing this Weiß," Reiji said, tapping the cigar against his ashtray. "Are you sure you can handle the position?"

"I'm working hard," Shuuichi replied with an edge. "What about you?"

"What do you mean?" Reiji asked, feigning ignorance.

"I know this isn't a social visit," Shuuichi said grimly. "What is it that you want from me?"

"I wanted to see if you were still trustworthy," Reiji said bluntly. "You seem to be wavering. I would hate to have a scandal on the family name."

"You already dragged that name through the mud!" Manx said fiercely before she could hold herself back. Reiji succeeded in getting under the woman's skin.

"Oh?" Reiji smiled at her. "What do you know about it?"

Shuuichi raised his hand slightly at his side to stop Manx from speaking further. Reiji had gotten better at their give-and-take exchanges. "You must be busy. I don't want to take up any more of your time. We are leaving."

"It was nice talking to you two again," Reiji called out as they departed swiftly. "Very nice," Reiji murmured, watching the office door close. He picked up his phone to call his private task force in the underworld. "Start the next phase immediately."


	20. Mission 05 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 05 Falle – Trap (The Shadow of Schwarz)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

Jade chose the duty of reconnaissance today. Her foot was in the air when she sensed a familiar mental presence. She flawlessly shifted her gait, taking a step sideways and vanished inside a doorway.

She peered around the corner. There was no mistaking that red-orange flame of hair. _If Schuldig sees me, he might be able to track me through the city. But he's watching Weiß. So either they're in danger from him or they decided to work together in those terrorist bombings._

A familiar icy blue Jaguar drove by to her shock. Jade peered around the corner at Schuldig again. He was still intently staring at the front of the flower store. _Raven_ , Jade focused hard on her team link to project a mental image of Schuldig in front of the store. _Do not stop! Keep going!_ Inside the exotic car, Nanami suddenly let out a small gasp. _Do not change speed_ , Jade demanded when she sensed Nanami's instinctive reaction.

"Hey! We're passing the flower store!" Kirei yanked on Nanami's arm.

"Schuldig is in front of the store," Nanami explained. "It's best we not show ourselves to him right now."

"How'd you know?" Kirei looked back to see a redheaded figure quickly decreasing in size. "You're right!"

"No, Jade's right!" Nanami said, driving several blocks before parking. "She just warned me."

"Where is she now?" Kirei asked, raising the mental barriers Jade had taught them all to do when they became a team.

"She's going after Schuldig to follow him to his base," Nanami explained. Kirei's mouth fell open. "Don't worry. She'll stay out of sight and be careful."

"How long are we going to stay here?" Kirei asked, fidgeting already. She had to talk to Omi as soon as she could.

"Do you know of a back entrance to the store?" Nanami asked, unbuckling her seat belt. Nanami waited for Kirei to do the same. The two girls took their time walking to the alley behind the store. They could see the scooter used for deliveries along with Aya's white Porsche.

"I guess Omi-kun's home already," Kirei said, resting a slim hand on his motorcycle.

"Good for you," Nanami said, watching the two exits of the alley carefully. Nanami opened the unlocked back door and walked in without hesitation. She had the urge to search their things.

"I'm going to the front now." Kirei led the way but Nanami didn't follow. "Are you coming?"

"In a minute," Nanami replied as she went upstairs. She looked into the kitchen. It was a total mess from the lack of care. She looked into the living room as well. It was in a slightly better state.

"Are you done yet?" Kirei asked impatiently.

"Kirei, do me a favor," Nanami said in a low voice. "Distract Weiß from coming back here."

"What?" Kirei blinked. Then it hit her. What other chances did they have? Kirei nodded. "I can try." Nanami vanished upstairs. Kirei steeled herself and took a step towards the flower store. "Hi!"

Aya spun, glaring death at her for sneaking up on him. "How did you get in?" Aya's eyes blazed.

"Through the back door which you never lock," Kirei explained calmly at the thundering look in his eyes. "You might get robbed that way."

"By you?" Aya demanded to know.

"The thought never crossed my mind," she replied with an innocent smile.

"Why are you here?" Yohji asked, walking towards them. "Someone go get Omi!"

"I'm here," Omi said, returning from the front of the store with a stack of empty pots in his hands. He was visibly controlling his anger at something.

"Omi-kun?" Kirei asked, her features dimming with concern for him. "Are you okay?" Was he mad at her for coming? _Hell, he'd better not be_ , she thought fiercely. _He invited me!_ But her worries were unreal because the youth welcomed her warmly.

"I am now, Kirei." Omi brightened. "Let's go back inside the house. I can get you something to drink while we talk."

Kirei's mind shot towards Nanami. She had to stall. "Oh look!" She squealed at a large pot of bright red blossoms larger than her hand on thick green stems resembling celery stalks. "Amaryllises! I _love_ these!"

Kirei found Omi at her side as desired. He began to give a brief lesson on the species and its origins. Finally, when Nanami appeared in the store behind the male owners did Kirei allowed Omi to take her back into the house where they could talk peacefully.

"You're not that busy today," Nanami said, looking at the group of four girls who were shopping together.

"Look! They have more information about Weiß." One of the girls pointed to the small television near the register. The group watched another news bulletin.

"Weiß has made another terrorist attack on the city. This time, a bomb exploded just minutes ago in the Shibuya Plaza. Six are confirmed dead. The casualty count is expected to increase. Police and firefighting forces are working together to remove people from the rubble. The police are also running tests on the residue left by the bomb to determine whether it was the same ones stolen from the Self Defense Base this morning. Once again, the terrorist group Weiß has attacked again."

Nanami turned to Weiß and studied them carefully. All of them looked angry as the images of the destruction flashed over the screen with a commentary. _Does Jade know about this?_

"That's so scary! I can't believe there's such a violent group!" One of the girls said with frightened eyes.

"I know!" another girl agreed. "They should be caught and sent to jail!"

"I probably won't go anywhere tonight," the first said. "I mean what if they blow up a train or bus and I'm on it?"

"I don't even want to think about that." The third shook her head.

"I hope Weiß dies!" the fourth said fiercely. "All of them should just suffer in jail and then die."

The vehement accusations went on. Nanami saw each remark hit Weiß like a bullet through the gut. Ken hid his thoughts poorly. He hung his head and wouldn't look up at anyone. Yohji got mad at the girls but Aya held him back with a commanding look. Nanami didn't want to start anything with the girls either.

But Weiß had to be innocent. The plaza was more than a thirty minute drive away from Koneko No Sume Ie. But there was the chance that the bomb was timed to explode after being planted. Yohji thanked all the spirits above when the girls left the store. He didn't want to deal with people anymore.

"I'm going to my room," Ken said dejectedly, wracked with guilt at the deaths being blamed on them.

"I'm going out," Yohji said, taking off his apron off and leaving it in a heap on the table next to Nanami. "I'll be back."

"Wait," Aya tried to stop Yohji from leaving him. He turned to Nanami, the only person in the store with him.

"Of course I would love some tea." Nanami had a pure evil look in her eyes when she said that. Aya fumed. "Weren't you going to make me some after offering so charitably?"

Aya stalked back into the kitchen to boil water for tea so he could think alone. Aya was sure that it was Takatori Reiji's doing. He expected Manx to come give the order for a mission any time now. Aya's hand shook at the thought of completing his revenge. His parents died from that man's greed and evil. His little sister was in a coma. Aya was so deep in thought he didn't hear Nanami sit down across from him. She watched him carefully with an amused look in her eyes. Aya was completely in his own world.

 _He's not that bad looking. If he smiled a bit, he would look better._ Nanami stared at Aya and then shook her head. _Where did that come from? I didn't just compliment him, did I? I must be slipping._ "Weiß," Nanami said softly.

Aya jolted. "What?" Aya asked, getting two cups out from the cupboard amid the mess.

"It's tragic news," Nanami said calmly. "Six dead and who knows how many injured." Nanami sighed internally. If Nanami had her way, she would make Jade sit here in her place making small talk with this man instead so she could go after Schuldig.

Aya poured two cups of hot water for them and added tea bags. He set one on front of Nanami and stirred the other one, still standing as far as he could. This was the last topic Aya wanted to talk about right now, especially with her.

"A vengeful person is committing these crimes," Nanami said in a controlled voice. "Something you might know of."

"You know nothing about me." Aya retorted, placing his cup down on the counter before he had the urge to smash it.

"That's probably true," Nanami agreed mildly. In fact, she knew a lot of Weiß from Chimera's information _and_ from what she gathered before joining the organization. "But it's revenge, pure and simple." There was a look in her eyes that Aya was all too familiar with. Desperate determination could not have been written any more clearly in letters than in those azure orbs. She gave him a strange look that lingered, a funny crooked smile. It melted the coldness of her features. "Where is Tsukiyono-san?" Nanami asked abruptly, breaking the unintended hold over Aya.

Aya shook himself mentally. Aya led Nanami to Omi's tiny apartment. "Omi, open the door." Aya knocked on the door with Nanami waiting impatiently behind him. Kirei appeared at the door instead of Omi. When the two adults walked in, they saw Omi on his computer. "What were you doing?" Aya asked Omi, completely ignoring Kirei.

Nanami grabbed Kirei's arm and took her out of the room. She began to scold her in a low voice for taking so long with the young hacker.

"We were researching," Omi said, still typing on his keyboard. "We heard about the terrorists that attacked the city and we wanted to know more."

"We're going now," Nanami said.

Omi stood up with a protest. "But we weren't done."

"Are you two friends again?" Nanami dragged Kirei along, speaking over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Omi answered. Kirei smiled at him.

"Then you're done!" Nanami said briskly.

"Bye, Omi-kun and Fujimiya-san!" Kirei called out.

Nanami pushed her out the door. "Thank you for the tea, Fujimiya-san," Nanami said to Aya before she closed the back door behind her.

"She was polite just then," Aya said, slightly shocked at her behavior.

"Fushiro-san is very nice," Omi said honestly even though he knew she didn't like him. "She takes care of Kirei-san and Kayla-san like family." Omi left Aya by the door to go back to researching. Aya stood there, trying to make sense of today. He couldn't get those haunted azure eyes out of his head.

* * *

Jade followed Schuldig stealthily. She witnessed the exchange between the German and Omi outside the front of Koneko no Sume Ie. Omi had thrown three darts at him but he dodged them easily with a mocking laugh. After his taunts, Schuldig leapt over the wall separating the street from a backyard. His movements were so effortless that Jade couldn't help but be impressed. It was as if he was flying on the wind, not jumping on long legs. Schuldig made his way from there. From the conversation she'd overheard, Weiß and Schuldig were not working together. Weiß might even be innocent of the bombings.

Tall oak trees grew wild along the outskirts of the soccer field. Jade knew there was a children's park and biking path nearby. But with the terrorist attacks and bad weather, the park was empty. Jade hid behind a tree. She suspected Schuldig was taking his time going back to base if he had one. She didn't know she was being set up and already had fallen into his trap.

"Kätzchen, kätzchen, I know you're there," Schuldig called out suddenly. "I sensed you following me miles back."

"Shit," Jade mouthed, debating the possibilities if he really did see her face or not. A course of action began to form based on the new circumstances.

"Don't be shy, kätzchen." Schuldig's voice was light and carefree. _Come play with your master_. He broadcasted the invite openly and waited for a response. "I can come to you, kätzchen." Jade heard leaves crunching loudly. Jade produced three of Nanami's bladed needles from her jacket. She hadn't been able to carry her no dachi. "I'm sure you are adorable." As a telepathist, the first thing learned was to protect your mind before invading others. Jade's walls were already erect but it didn't stop him from casting his net over the area. "Were you spying on Weiß too?" Schuldig sought Jade's mind, growing more familiar with its intangible presence each time he traced back to its owner.

Jade had only one shot at this if she was going to make it back alive without Schuldig seeing her face. Schuldig appeared in front of her. Jade stepped forward instead of fleeing to throw a needle at Schuldig's throat. Schuldig dodged it like she knew he could. Jade followed the needle's path to land a solid punch to knock him back to buy enough time to run.

Her foe quickly recovered. "That won't work, Panther," Schuldig warned, getting back to his feet to give chase. Jade felt the grip of his powers on her mind, forcing her to slow down. The world went fuzzy around the edges as confusion crept over her. Manticore warned Jade about this possible use of telepathy early in her training but Jade discovered it was out of her league to utilize. Thus, defeating the mind control was impossible. The world snapped back to crisp focus after Schuldig returned her punch with inflated interest. Jade went down on her side, gasping painfully.

"Let's see that pretty face, kätzchen." Schuldig bent down, reaching for her sunglasses. Jade grabbed the hands and planted a boot against his stomach to flip him into a thick tree. Schuldig crumpled after striking the trunk.

"Don't touch me," Jade snarled, aiming her senbon.

Schuldig braced himself against the tree before he shot forward, hands darting towards hers. He forced them down against her hips. Her grip on the needles loosened on his mental command. The weapons were lost in the tall grass. Jade attacked with one last effort. She threw herself against Schuldig's mental barriers to tear them down with sheer force of will. Schuldig bit off a scream when his mind was invaded. The girl had to drop her barriers to attack him. This was what Schuldig was waiting for.

"Get out of my head!" Schuldig launched a vicious assault of his own, diving deep with the intent of causing havoc. Words, sounds, smells, and pictures exploded across his mind in a seemingly random mix.

"You first!" Jade declared, forcing a wave of power through her mind. Intense pressure washed over Schuldig's eyes. The pain that followed was excruciating. They fell back, the energy of the attack taking its toll on both of them. "That's what you get," Jade said brokenly with the taste of blood at the back of her throat.

Schuldig lay unconscious on the ground from mental battle. Jade failed to kill the stronger telepath with her mental assault. His resilience would have him back on his feet within hours. It was only her desperate attack that gave her the upper hand this time. It was a very slim advantage too. Her body and mind was weakened. She was also out of weapons. She staggered blindly towards safety.

Jade groaned, falling on her knees to vomit. She whimpered in pain, a sound pitiful to her ears. Pride forced her legs to work again. She staggered a more few meters towards the sidewalk before collapsing on the ground. She fought the darkness of a silent abyss. It claimed her anyway.

* * *

Kayla was listening to the news in the living room when Nanami and Kirei came back. The three girls discussed the location of the real Weiß and the fake Weiß, trying to figure out the best course of action. The announcement from Prime Minister of Japan interrupted their conversation.

"I thank everyone who supported me as the Prime Minister of Japan," Takatori Reiji's news conference dominated all news channels. "As I ran for this position, I noticed many things in our country that could be improved. Just recently is a prime example of the lack of security in Japan. The terrorists known as Weiß will be brought to justice along with any accomplices. I am calling out the Special Defense Army of Japan to increase the manpower to locate Weiß and patrol the streets starting tomorrow at dawn. We will regain back our country and we will be safe again."

Takatori Reiji bowed to the world. Everything was going exactly as he'd planned. Pure unstoppable power and influence was his. Kayla sighed heavily, seeing through the propaganda. She played with her hair, wondering if they could do anything to help Weiß.

"I don't like him," Nanami said suddenly.

"Fujimiya-san?" Kirei asked, thinking the two had another glaring contest.

"I meant Takatori Reiji," Nanami answered, standing up with eyes locked on Takatori's face. "There's something about him that reminds me of someone else I don't like."

"Who?" Kayla asked curiously.

"No one you know," Nanami said firmly, going to her bedroom. "I have some work to do."

"Did you see Jade at all today?" Kayla asked the two. "She went to Koneko No Sume Ie."

"We didn't see her but she contacted us," Kirei answered. "She was going after Schuldig."

"Will she be okay?" Kayla asked the others.

"She can take care of herself," Nanami said finally, dispelling everyone's worries so Kayla and Kirei could focus on other things. _If she's not back within an hour, I'll look for her,_ Nanami thought, going upstairs to finish the files she stolen from Magicbus Hospital.


	21. Mission 05 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 05 Falle – Trap (The Shadow of Schwarz)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-04-04

* * *

Jade woke up to a fuzzy white ceiling, not trees and gloomy sky. The biting cold seeped into her body while she was unconscious, making her groggy and stiff. She shivered violently. Her head ached from her confrontation with Schuldig.

"I turned on the heat. You'll be warm soon." A male voice sounded far to her like a deity speaking down to a worshipper. Jade turned her head to see who spoke. She couldn't see clearly. Anger didn't come at the realization, just surprise. Some parts of her brain controlling vision were still overworked. She closed them, fighting down the urge to vomit again. "Do you want me to call you an ambulance?" the man asked again, sounding distorted.

"No hospitals," Jade said weakly as she fought to sit up. Her tired brain remembered her fears. She fainted again, slipping back into the black void.

Crawford caught her before she could hit her head against the headboard. He gently lowered her back onto the bed. The sedative prolonged the confusion. He had her at his leisure until it wore off.

Jade woke up again some hours later with a bitter, slimy taste in her mouth and a sore throat. Rolling over on her side was a battle. "Gotta call Nanami," Jade muttered determinedly, head spinning when she made sudden moves.

Her jacket was on the desk chair across the room. Jade's body felt like stone when she tried to stand. She fell to the ground with a loud thump. On the floor, Jade cursed Schuldig for attacking her back. _Bastard should have just let me cut his throat_ , Jade thought as she pulled herself up to a sitting position so she would at least not look like the disgraceful state she was in.

She could form semi-coherent thoughts but her body wouldn't move without serious effort. She heard footsteps and struggled desperately to untangle her limp body from the warm blanket. After the door opened, a man wearing a pair of black pants and a green shirt hanging hazardly on his body with its lower border untucked paused at the sight of her.

"Are you feeling better?" Crawford asked with real concern. Jade saw that the window was blocked by the desk. Escape was out of the question. "Akikou-san, are you okay?" Crawford asked again, drawing her eyes back on his face.

"How do you know who I am?" Jade asked warily, her voice not working correctly. It came out scratchy and lower than normal.

"Your driver's license was in your jacket with your name and picture," Crawford said, coming towards her. Jade struggled to raise her hands to fend off an attack. "I'm going to help you back on the bed," Crawford explained as he reached for her. Jade fought him anyway, not trusting coincidences but he lifted her back onto the bed like she was a child.

"Who are you?" Jade asked, knowing full well who he was. The question she really wanted to ask was if he knew who she really was.

"I am Brad Crawford. I found you on the sidewalk," Crawford pulled up the desk chair to sit beside her.

"And you dec-decided..." Jade paused as a coughing fit overwhelmed her. Crawford gave her a glass of water to drink. He knew it was from the side effects from the tranquilizer. He waited for the girl to regain her normal breathing pattern. "You decided to help me?" Jade gasped out, her throat raw.

"I can call you an ambulance or drive you home," said Crawford. He reached for his cell phone.

"No hospitals!" Jade said quickly. And she wouldn't allow Crawford to drive her home either. Then he would know where they lived.

"Taxi?" Crawford suggested quickly, pretending he wanted her to leave as soon she was able to. "Would a taxi work?"

"Taxis are fine," Jade said, nodding and then feeling woozy all over again from the shifting of her head. "I need my cell phone." Jade pointed to her jacket weakly.

Crawford made an apologetic face. "I didn't find one when I brought you here. Do you think it could have fallen out?"

Jade stared at him, trying to read him but her powers were too weak to get her anywhere. Crawford was truly concerned for her well-being or was an extremely good actor. But she hadn't fought him before and she had no idea of his connections. But that didn't make him trustworthy.

Crawford kept the pleasant smile on his face. He knew what she was trying to do. Living with Schuldig taught him a few tricks as well. The sedatives caused her body chemistry to be unbalanced enough so after Schuldig's attack, which Crawford ordered him to do, it would disable Jade's telepathy powers.

"I want to leave," Jade said, realizing the man had seen her face. Even stupid Kudou hadn't seen her face yet! Angry and annoyed, Jade demanded a taxi now.

"Of course, Akikou-san," Crawford said pleasantly. "I'll do that. Then, bring your dinner too."

"I don't want dinner," Jade said firmly, "Just the taxi."

"You need something in your stomach," Crawford said just as firmly.

"Why are you doing this?" Jade asked again, confused about his generosity.

"It was the right thing to do. You were in distress," Crawford explained. "Akikou-san, I cannot in good conscience send you home without food, especially if you refuse medical attention," Crawford repeated before he walked out.

Jade cursed Schuldig again. She wouldn't dare call home without a secure line and their cell phones were all linked to encrypted networks. Losing her cell phone would mean that she would have to get a replacement from Chimera and make him locate it with satellite. Jade rested her eyes, closing them and unintentionally falling back to sleep. When she woke up again, the room's lamp was set to a dimmer setting. Fingers of fear clawed at her spine to see Crawford staring her intently.

 _Am I still here?_ Jade wondered sleepily, unaware Crawford drugged her again with her water. "What time is it?" Jade asked him groggily.

"Eleven at night," Crawford replied. "I kept the food warm for you. Will you eat?"

"No. I want to leave now," Jade said coldly. She remembered the look in his eyes from the party. She couldn't trust him anymore to let him keep her here.

"Fine, I'll call you a taxi." Crawford stood up with a tiny sigh of concern.

"No, I want to make the call." Jade fumbled for the pieces of her cracked ice armor and began to rebuild it around her. Crawford relented finally and brought over a cordless phone, allowing Jade to make the call. She spoke quietly and asked for the address and phone number which Crawford supplied truthfully. After she hung up, she returned the phone to Crawford and glared at him. "Who are you?" Jade asked him again. "What do you do?"

"I'm a personal bodyguard," Crawford said honestly.

"Who do you guard?"

"That's confidential," Crawford said, his smile disappearing as he turned serious. "I'm not allowed to say."

"Is my taxi here yet?" Jade asked, sitting up in bed.

"You just called. It'll be awhile."

"Then can I get out of this bed?" Jade asked him, pulling the blankets free of her body. Crawford was there beside her in an instant to guide her outside to his living room. Jade sat in the dark room with her hands folded in her lap. Crawford sat in another chair in front of her.

"Will I see you again?" Crawford asked her softly.

Jade turned to him, bewildered he would ask such a thing. "No," Jade answered bluntly. "You're coming off as a stalker."

Crawford chuckled to her growing annoyance. "What if I bump into you again?" Crawford asked her.

"You won't," Jade replied moodily, not looking at him but at the street below. She tried to keep her gaze steady but the aching in her neck made it difficult. She waited in tense silence until Crawford's phone rang. The taxi driver was calling to let them know that he was here.

"I'll get your jacket." Crawford returned with her things. Crawford smiled as the girl walked out under her own power. He watched her from the balcony window in the living room. "That went well." Crawford said, his smile becoming malicious. Crawford left the building to find Schuldig and what he had learned before he had passed out.

* * *

"Jade!" Kirei shouted excitedly when Jade returned. "Where were you?" Kirei demanded, running towards her. "Do you know how late it is?"

"It's late enough that I want to go to bed," Jade said, walking past Kirei. A killer migraine pounded ruthlessly against her eyes after she switched taxis, then walked two miles on high alert to everything in the area. No wonder her brain felt like exploding.

"Did you follow Schuldig?" Nanami asked loudly from the living room.

"I did." Jade pressed her lips together in thought, recalling the battle. "I lost him. I tried to pick up his trail but it's already gone cold," Jade replied.

"Do you know why Schuldig was spying on Weiß?" Nanami asked.

Jade paused next to Nanami. "He was there because he saw their faces and found out where they worked."

"Weiß is in danger!" Kirei gasped. She was worried about Omi's safety.

"Weiß is always in danger. So are we because we're assassins," Jade pointed out. "But a lesson could be learned. Don't let Schuldig see your face. _Ever._ He'll be able to find us."

"Did he see your face?" Nanami asked, studying Jade carefully.

"No," Jade said even though she was unsure. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed." Jade went to her room without replying to the rest of the other girls' endless questions.

Nanami could tell Jade wasn't telling the whole truth. Jade and Nanami could read each other like a book. Nanami went to Jade's room. "Are you okay?" Nanami asked, leaning in the doorway. "You look pale."

"I'm always pale." Jade hesitated. She wanted to be honest but she didn't know how to explain it. "I need sleep." Nanami took the hint. Jade went to bed after shutting off her room lamp. She did a mental checklist of herself.

Jade let the world come into her in increments. Her powers were nowhere near full strength. She hoped they would be by tomorrow morning. She heard Kayla's thoughts about Takatori Reiji's victory as Prime Minister. Kayla and Kirei were both against him being the new Prime Minister. Jade was surprised. This was the first time she heard the news about that topic. Now that she thought about it, Brad Crawford was beside Takatori for the majority of the party where they'd met.

 _Could Brad be Takatori's bodyguard? If my powers come back and I bump into him again, I'm going to rip his life story out from his mind._

She shivered at the thought of his pleasant smile. It seemed innocent and charming but it failed to hide the danger Jade read in his eyes. Plainly put, Crawford's composure shook the young girl's foundation from the moment she met him. Her carefully constructed armor fell apart in two seconds when he touched her hand at the party. She spent the rest of the night thinking about the handsome enigma named Brad Crawford.

* * *

Schuldig's head was propped on pillows, limbs stretched over the plush sofa in Schwarz's lounge in Takatori's office building. Nagi sat across from him, doing his best as team medic to alleviate Schuldig's pain but it wasn't helping when Farfarello counteracted it. "Fuck you," Schuldig swore crankily at the Irishman who insisted on staying in the room.

Usually he could tolerate the Irishman but with the sensation of blunt needles boring holes in his head, he really didn't need the man's idiosyncrasies. Farfarello played with his weapons. Every now and then, Farfarello would shoot out the knife from its golden handle. It made an extremely annoying clicking sound.

"What happened to you?" Nagi wanted to know. Farfarello and Nagi received a call from Crawford to retrieve Schuldig's body and Jade's cell phone from the park but their leader hadn't told them anything else. Nagi suspected Schuldig had a bigger part in Crawford's plans than he let on.

"Nothing happened," Schuldig replied, closing his green eyes. He didn't want to talk about it right now. His speech was slightly slurred like a drunkard. Schuldig shivered slightly.

"Are you cold?" Nagi asked, standing. "I'll get you a blanket."

"No," Schuldig replied. He wasn't cold, just remembering her ferocity. Farfarello continued playing with his knife in the background. _Snikt. Tsh. Snikt. Tsh. Snikt._ Schuldig gritted his teeth as he watched Farfarello retract the knives and then shoot them out again.

"Farfarello, stop that," Crawford commanded from the doorway. Farfarello stopped at once. Schuldig heaved a huge sigh of relief at being able to maintain his sanity. "What did you find out?" Crawford asked Schuldig, getting down to business.

"Not much," Schuldig admitted from the sofa he had been resting on for the past three hours. "She knows who Weiß is."

"So do you," Crawford said, sitting down next to him in another chair. "Which you also won't tell us is what I heard from Nagi."

"They're my prey," Schuldig said fiercely, knocking over pillows as he sat up. "I'll handle them myself."

"What else?" Crawford pressed him.

"She's scared of you. But she does find you interesting," Schuldig said, smirking. "Now why would she think of you as scary and interesting unless you met her before?"

"That's irrelevant," Crawford tried to avoid the topic.

"No, it's not." Schuldig's smirk grew wider. "Now when did you meet her before today?" Crawford warned him with a look. "So here's what I think happened, Crawford." Schuldig ignored Crawford's stern glare. Farfarello sat up expectantly to listen. "I think she was that woman you were flirting with at Takatori's party. I wonder why you would do such a thing. But the answer is simple. Because she is Panther." Schuldig grinned.

"Do not engage Panther without my permission." Crawford said in a steely voice, fury in check.

"Why?" Schuldig asked eagerly. He enjoyed threats after all.

"She's part of my plan," Crawford replied ominously.

"To do what?" Schuldig pressed harder.

"To destroy Karmesinrot Rache."

"Is _that_ what the little Girl Scout troop is called?" Schuldig forced himself to stand to face Crawford. "It has a nice ring to it. Don't you agree, Farfarello?" Schuldig turned to Farfarello who nodded.

"I can drink it," Farfarello said in his low voice. "Drink the crimson up."

"Don't do anything rash, Schuldig," Crawford warned him.

Schuldig started to laugh. "Let me deal Weiß and you can get Karmesinrot Rache all to yourself," Schuldig negotiated with his leader.

"Done." Crawford decided. "Now what else did you get from her?"

"A creepy man named Chimera. Chimera told her Weiß's identities and full life story. And the look of her car," Schuldig reminisced with relish. "She has a very sexy car."

"What about her home address?"

"Nothing." Schuldig said without hesitation.

"Future plans?"

"Kill Weiß," Schuldig said, his smirk growing considerably. "She has this thing against one of their members. Maybe I'll help her. I like her for that part."

"You didn't see anything more specific?" Crawford pressed him for more information. "About Chimera?"

"No. She raised her barriers too fast for a good look," Schuldig admitted. Crawford nodded. He got enough information for now if he combined it with what he already knew. "Crawford," Schuldig turned to him, "what's this girl to you?"

"She means nothing to me," Crawford said truthfully. "No more questions."

"If she's nothing, can I have her?" Schuldig asked evilly. "She's very feisty."

"I noticed," Crawford said ruefully. "You can have her when I say so."

"Farfarello," Schuldig turned to the predatory man, "do you want to help me break her?"

"Yes." Farfarello nodded solemnly. "I want to break her."

"You can do whatever you want to Karmesinrot Rache _after_ I'm done," Crawford reminded both of them.

Crawford's cell phone rang. Crawford answered to listen to a summons. After hanging up, he turned to his team. "Takatori wants to see us in his office. Get your things together. We are leaving here after this."

Farfarello waited until Nagi and Schuldig left the room before speaking again. He placed his bandaged hand on Crawford's shoulder. "I found something interesting." Farfarello held up three senbon. "These were near Schuldig's body." Farfarello handed them over to Crawford. "I thought you might want them." Farfarello walked past Crawford who examined the needles carefully.

Crawford fingered the engraved raven on its flat end. Soon, he would have the location of Karmesinrot Rache at his disposal. Crawford slipped the needles inside his pocket before he rejoined his team. Schwarz entered Takatori's office with him in the lead. "Mr. Takatori," Crawford greeted. "You wanted to see us."

"Tomorrow I will launch my Special Defense forces against Weiß. I need to know if you see anything in the future that might hinder my plan."

"I have, Mr. Takatori. Three nights from now, a Weiß member will try to assassinate you before you could get to your office from your house. I recommend you changing your schedule and limousines."

"Thank you, Crawford," Reiji laughed. "I trust you to take care of the assassin."

"Farfarello and I volunteer our services."

"Good." Reiji turned to the window. "Dawn will come in less than five hours. I will show Japan the power of Takatori Reiji then."

"Have you planned another terrorist attack yet?" Crawford inquired. "Will the Self Defense force set off more bombs tomorrow?"

"I have. They will continue the terrorist attacks until I tell them to stop." Reiji turned back to face Schwarz. "That is all."

"Good night, Mr. Takatori," Crawford said for the group before they left the office building.

As they returned to their living quarters, Schuldig couldn't help complain about Takatori Reiji. "Eszet will contact us soon," Crawford said to the group in the elevator. "We will get a new assignment."

"Takatori is a fool," Nagi said. "He doesn't know who we are."

"He will be a dead fool soon," Farfarello said.

"Yes he will." Crawford smirked. "A fool like that cannot lead a country." So many people were plotting his downfall around him and Takatori didn't even see it. The vision of Weiß attacking the car was true but Crawford planned on letting Weiß live. He needed them alive to make Karmesinrot Rache appear in front of him. He wanted to kill both teams himself.


	22. Mission 06 Duell - Duel

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 06 Duell – Duel (Rain of Revenge)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-10-04

* * *

Manx stood in front of Weiß in their basement under the empty streets. Martial law was firmly enforced in Tokyo when Takatori Reiji sent out his Special Defense forces. Citizens were not recommended to go outside in the street if they wanted to avoid questioning and a possible beating from zealous soldiers. Cars were too noticeable but Manx had other methods to get around town unseen. After all, she was Persia's assistant, bodyguard, and Weiß's secret informant.

"Why won't Persia give the mission?" Aya demanded to know, not one to mince words or dance around this particular topic. Omi, Ken, and Yohji were in the same position. None of them could stand this cowardly lifestyle anymore. Takatori Reiji openly abused his powers. The terrorist group fouling up the name Weiß needed to be stopped. Because of a bomb threat at an elementary school, all schools were closed after the bomb had been found and diffused, making it a victory for the new Prime Minister. But unknown to the masses, Reiji planned it that way to make him a savior for having the Special Defense forces run amok the city.

"Persia knows it is a trap!" Manx argued, frustrated to be having this conversation again. She already met up with Omi and Aya on two separate occasions to discuss the same thing when they demanded entry to see Persia. Manx persuaded them not to meet Persia face to face because of security reasons but the two still weren't listening to her. She came to Koneko No Sume Ie to tell Weiß they were not being assigned a mission until Persia could see no other alternative.

"We _know_ it's a trap," Yohji argued fiercely. "But what difference does it make?"

"If we stay here until Takatori finds us, we'll be dead anyway," Ken added. "The Special Defense forces are looking everywhere for us."

"I understand what you are saying." Manx could see their side of the argument but like them, she was on orders too. "Please stay here. I'll be back again if there are updated orders," Manx said before she left.

* * *

The Special Defense Army of Japan was a government funded militia of highly skilled soldiers. They devoted themselves to maintain order and to protect the citizens of Japan. Upon Takatori Reiji's ascension to the position of Prime Minister, he exerted the full force of the Special Defense Army against the terrorist group known as Weiß. Today, he was going to make an announcement to cut the ties of family forever. Today, Takatori Reiji was going to set the Special Defense force against his brother, Takatori Shuuichi.

"We are ready, Prime Minister." One of the camera technicians gave the signal for Takatori Reiji to start speaking.

"The group Weiß has been traced back to Takatori Shuuichi, Tokyo Chief of Police," Reiji said loudly. Everyone in the room gasped in shock. "Because of this news, I am ashamed for my brother but I will not fail the country. Even if the criminal is a relative, he must be brought to justice. Takatori Shuuichi will be arrested and the members of Weiß found. They will be charged with domestic terrorism and sentenced with the harshest punishment. We lost family, friends, and our city to these men but we will prevail because justice is on our side!"

Reporters shouted questions at the Prime Minister about this sudden development. Reiji bowed deeply to the crowd before he walked away from the podium. He allowed no time for comments or questions. He had a country to dictate.

"Did you find him?" Reiji asked the leader of the Special Defense. The uniform man was an intimidating sight in a gray bullet-proof vest, a dark green shirt and pants set, dark sunglasses, a cap with the letters "SD", and heavy black combat boots.

"No, Prime Minister," the leader replied. "He was reported leaving his house with his things last night."

"I should have known," Reiji growled angrily. "He would run, of course."

"His personal secretary was reported missing as well," the leader added. "She was seen with him at the time of his departure." Reiji was not surprised. Kitada Hanae loyally served his younger brother for years now. She was his confidante and closest friend. "The team is on full alert. We will bring them back to you as soon as possible."

Reiji dismissed him. His new secretary who replaced Takatori Hirofumi appeared at his side. "Merache-san canceled your appointment today," she reported, flipping through the thick leather bounded schedule book. "He called an hour ago to your office."

"Did he say why?" Reiji asked suspiciously.

"No, Prime Minister." The woman relayed another change. "Tokizo-san is waiting for you. He doesn't have an appointment."

"I'll see him. Hold my calls until after Tokizo-san leaves," Reiji said, getting into the elevator with his secretary. "But if there is news about my brother or Weiß, send those calls in."

"I understand." The secretary walked Reiji to his office.

Tokizo smiled sincerely when he saw his friend's approach. Reiji also noted that Tokizo kept his bodyguard with him. The man was in his usual black suit and sunglasses. He also carried Tokizo's locked briefcase in his left hand.

"Prime Minister Takatori-san." Tokizo bowed deeply despite their close associations. "Congratulations on your election."

"We will talk inside," Reiji said, allowing his guests to go ahead of him. Reiji locked the door behind him before he sat down. Tokizo took a seat while Harrison stood at the door, guarding it.

"I have news, Reiji-san," Tokizo said in a hushed voice, leaning forward in his chair. "Is this room safe?"

"It is." Reiji nodded. The room was checked hourly for electronic bugging devices.

"It is about your bodyguards," Tokizo began hurriedly in the same voice. He adjusted his tie nervously. Taunt skin stretched over his features. He'd lost weight and sleep due to new, unnamed troubles. "I did research after your fundraising campaign…" Tokizo paused, seemly reluctantly to go on.

"What is it, Masaya-san?" Reiji demanded. "What did you discover?"

"Reiji-san…have you ever heard of Eszet?" Tokizo asked slowly.

"Eszet?" Reiji repeated. He had heard rumors of a powerful worldwide organization with connections to almost everything.

"I found a faction of Eszet is in Japan. Schwarz is monitoring you for Eszet's purposes."

"Are you sure?" Reiji asked, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. He hated being watched and used. But Reiji trusted Tokizo. They had been childhood friends. Tokizo was the one who convinced Reiji to marry his late wife.

"Your middle son, Takatori Masufumi, had a team as well." Tokizo brought up his briefcase to unlock it. "I managed to find proof." Tokizo handed him a stack of photographs from within.

"Schreient," Reiji muttered. Reiji saw that the leader of Schreient, Hell, was standing beside an elderly man. "Is this Eszet?"

"Yes they are." Tokizo nodded gravely. "They are being protected by Eszet right now after murdering your son on purpose."

"That team adored Masufumi!" Reiji argued. "The women owed their lives to him."

"The details of his death were not known. The only witnesses were Schreient and they are untrustworthy."

"What should I do?" Reiji asked him, feeling dread creep into his mind. He was working against a monster if Tokizo was telling the truth.

"Do not trust Schwarz anymore," Masaya replied. "They will lead you to your death."

"I will think about it," Reiji said. "Thank you for your concern."

"Take care, old friend," Tokizo said respectfully.

Reiji watched the men leave his office. He lit a cigar and smoked it slowly, thinking about what to do. Weiß's identities had not been determined yet. He would need Schwarz until then. But he would no longer trust them to guard him.

Tokizo returned to his waiting car with Harrison by his side. He waited until they were driving away before asking his bodyguard a very important question. "Did he believe me, Harrison-san?"

"Mostly." Harrison nodded confidently. "He was very suspicious but I had already told you that would happen."

"But will he stop using Schwarz? Schwarz blocks him from us." Tokizo placed his briefcase flat on his lap. "Those pictures of Schreient and Eszet did help the story."

"I know he will," Harrison said surely. "Takatori Reiji is a gullible man. He trusts you. Takatori was suspicious at first but by the time we left, he was close to believing that Schwarz is after his life."

"He's about to make a grave mistake," Tokizo said. In secret, he hated his friend's success and fortune. Tokizo had been looking for a time to get the upper hand over Takatori Reiji for years.

"Once Schwarz no longer protects him, his life will be over," Harrison said steadily.

"That is all I ever hoped for in my entire life." Tokizo opened his briefcase and flipped through his papers. "I must thank you for supplying me with those photographs. You did an excellent job."

"My duty is to you, Tokizo-san," Harrison said, nodding slightly in acknowledgement. "We will return to your house now. It is not safe to be out when the revolution occurs."

"Yes, you're right." He was now Minister of Justice after winning his own election. As the Minister of Justice, he was in charge of prosecuting Takatori Shuuichi once he was arrested. Tokizo was going to make sure he got the death sentence even if the court system found him innocent.

* * *

Christopher Merache was a black haired, green eyed American known publicly to be an alum of a top-notch business university. The new graduate worked hard and invested his money wisely. His endeavors earned him a promotion to become Senior Vice President of a small company working with household electronics. He shone brightly in the business sector, eventually becoming the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation dealing in law, marketing, electronics, investing, and even medicine.

Of course, that was just his public biography authorized by Chimera to tell. His true autobiography was less golden. Merache worked for, not with as he got that distinction early on, an underground network thrusting its hold over the planet. It had him on a leash in secret. His company procured the chemicals and machinery for Chimera. The weapons technology wielded by Karmesinrot Rache was borne from his engineers. His law firm patented and defended the copyrights. On the highest floor of the building, Merache sat behind his dark mahogany desk in a rather unusual situation.

Merache eyed his unexpected guests. He possessed a rather good idea about what they wanted from him. Merache decided he might as well listen to Takatori Shuuichi and Manx.

Takatori Shuuichi knew this might be his last chance to make sure Weiß received some measure of safety. His position as Persia got him this far with the information that Christopher Merache was connected to Karmesinrot Rache. Now it was time to act on it before it was too late. "Merache-san," Takatori started slow. "We know who you are and who you're working for."

"I work for myself." Merache pointed to his door. "The outside of that door has a plaque clearly stating Christopher Merache Incorporated."

"You are not the one called Chimera?" Shuuichi asked him, hoping Kritiker's sources were right. Manx folded her hands in her lap to prevent herself from pressing them together anxiously.

"No. I'm not Chimera," Merache answered, looking at them in wry amusement. "Persia, I am on the lowest section of the food chain in Chimera's network." Merache smiled sincerely, "But I will do my best to solicit aid for your cause."

Shuuichi stood. Manx followed his lead. "We will wait for news before starting a mission," Shuuichi said.

"You are not safe outside. What will you do?" Merache asked the both of them before they can leave. "I can put you in a safe house."

"No." Shuuichi shook his head. "I need to be fighting my brother, not hiding."

"When I get word, you will know," Merache said quickly.

"We appreciate your help," Shuuichi said gratefully. "However slight it may be, we are in your debt."

"Do not speak like you won't be able to pay it back." Merache disapproved of dramatics. "Stay safe. I don't want to lose new friends right after I meet them."

Merache waited until after the two left before he picked up his cell phone, ignoring his business phone. The phone rang but no one picked up on the other end. No one ever did ever since he was given the phone and told how to operate it. Merache was telling the truth the whole time. He was not Chimera. He had never set eyes on the one called Chimera. After it rang five times, the voice mail activated with a series of beeps to demand his password.

"Persia has made contact." Merache spoke briefly about the situation. All he could do now was to wait for Chimera to act.

* * *

Kayla lived next to the television during the morning, afternoon, and night hours, refusing to miss the news. Martial law kept almost everyone off the streets. Kirei was beside her, eating cereal straight out from the box like candy.

Nanami devoted her time and energy to work behind locked doors. She ignored the outside world for her own. She couldn't help but drag up memories in her solitude, especially when her work related to her loss. Nanami stared at a photograph of a young man. He had straight hair several shades darker than hers cut above just beneath his earlobes. Hazel Golden brown eyes forever twinkled in the captured moment. But he had a stubborn mouth, a trait they shared as sibings. When he smiled for her, Nanami couldn't help laughing joyfully. But that was before now when he joined eight others to fight for justice...in their own way.

In the picture, he posed with a younger Yagami Ryou and Karen Jones. His eyes were wistful, framed by short curving lashes, despite the sad smile on his face. He wanted another future than the one he chose but he didn't trust anyone else to do the work. Nanami mourned alone for the past seven years. Kritiker must pay for his death.

The bathroom door slamming jolted her from her angst. Nanami buried the photo underneath a stack of papers in her desk. Nanami pulled herself together to go find the source of the noise. "Who's in there?" Nanami asked, rapping on the door.

"Me," Jade answered weakly, voice hoarse. The rest of her words were cut off when retching overpowered her speech.

"Jade?" Nanami waited for the girl to come out. When she did, Jade's eyes were pieces of dull coal. Her face was coated in sweat. The girl was still paler than normal. Even the normal flush of her cheeks was absent. "Are you feeling sick?" Nanami walked her friend to her room, hands itching to support Jade's staggered gait.

But Jade would have none of it. Jade climbed into bed with effort. "I just wasn't feeling well."

"You never get sick though." Nanami came by to feel her damp forehead. "You're not feverish."

"That's because I'm not sick," Jade replied, pushing her friend's cool hand away with mustered strength. "Just leave me alone for a while, Nanami."

"You want something to eat?" Nanami asked her kindly.

"No thanks," Jade replied. She feigned sleep. After Nanami left her room, Jade opened her eyes. She toyed with the cold jade pendant on her gold necklace. It drained the heat from her body, calming her frenzied mind. She was recalling her meeting with Brad Crawford when it triggered the nausea from the sedatives. When Jade met his eyes the first time, she felt trapped on a small island with black treacherous water rising over the edges, trying to drown her and bring her down to a new world. Jade saw what was waiting for her in the depths. She had wanted to go to it willingly.

* * *

"Persia has made contact. He requests assistance and protection of his team."

The rat spoke through their network. Chimera waved her hand over the screen, wiping clean the monitor to pull up a second network for a reply. Merache performed an unexpected service for the organization by delivering the identity of Persia. Chimera searched all of Japan for the one who led Kritiker. She called in operatives, intent on planting spies and hackers inside rival organizations to increase her control.

 _Persia is Takatori Shuuichi._ The call went to the four commanders in charge. She swiftly created a mission order, intentionally leaving out information for Karmesinrot Rache to formulate the opinions she wanted them to have. Chimera absorbed every scrap of information into her mind, building an intangible world. Kritiker dealt in information. Ezset dealt in power. Chimera desired both, seeking to destroy the unworthy ones after stealing their glory.

It was late when the phone call, filtered through encrypted lines, reached Merache. Dialing his access code, he listened to the digitized voice's orders. "The prey has been determined. Contact will be made tonight. Persia should not move until tomorrow."

Merache placed the phone back on the table and went to the window. Fear and apprehension blanketed the city. "Would tomorrow be too late?" Merache asked the city somberly. He saw the city falling into a darkness that it may never recover from.

* * *

A vision foretold this meeting. Kayla stood alone. The lights from the street lamps from each side were too far off to have an impact on her location. She could smell the odor of old Chinese in a nearby dumpster. A man walked towards her, his hands in his pocket and his stride was long. He had a sense of urgency.

"You're here," Griffin said, sounding relieved as he walked towards her quickly, appearing mysteriously from the dark night.

"Express delivery," Kayla nodded, trying to speed things up so she could go home. "Why didn't you visit the house?"

"I can't. My presence will make things worse," Griffin responded curtly.

Kayla could sense something different about him. She couldn't see it but his blue eyes were burdened with the news he carried. The man had an unhealthy look, as if he was sick for the past few days. He was of average height and build, wearing plain clothes so he didn't stand out in a crowd.

"Why?" Kayla asked, pretending to be angry. "You made me go outside in the cold when you could just make one simple house call!"

"You're an assassin. Deal with the cold. It doesn't bother you that much," Griffin replied good-naturedly despite his obvious health problems. "I came out too." Griffin reached into his jacket and removed a small plastic case with a DVD inside. "Make sure everyone follows the mission exactly. There must be no mistakes."

"Karmesinrot Rache never makes mistakes," Kayla said proudly, reaching for the DVD.

"Just keep Raven in line," Griffin advised the girl. "I worry about her."

"I thought you worry about Panther," Kayla said, staring at Griffin intently. "After all, she is your favorite."

"It's late." Griffin avoided the statement and turned to leave.

Kayla ran back home quickly, keeping her hand over her chest to make sure the disc was protected. " _MISSION!"_ Kayla screamed to the household.

Kirei was practicing with bamboo fans, incorporating dance steps from her old life into her fighting style. Kirei placed the fans on the bed and bounded eagerly downstairs to be first to join Kayla. She helped prepare the DVD.

Nanami too exited her bedroom at the call, closing her door securely behind her. Jade finished her shower by the time of Kayla's return. Fumbling for her clothes and not succeeding to wear them correctly, she came out in her shower robe to join the others.

"When'd we get a mission?" Nanami wanted to know. Kayla quickly explained what had transpired.

"Karmesinrot Rache, the shadow of evil is descending over the city of Tokyo. Your new mission is to protect Fujimiya Ran, Takatori Mamoru, Hidaka Ken, Kudou Yohji, Takatori Shuuichi, and Hanae Kitae from persecution from the Prime Minister Takatori Reiji. Crimson beasts, devour those who commit injustice and make them the prey of tomorrow!"

"We have to do WHAT?!" Jade shouted. "Protect-"

"Weiß!" Kayla interjected happily. If Karmesinrot Rache were their bodyguards, then she would have fewer worries about the safety of Ken whom she thought was a great guy. But the names of Takatori Shuuichi and Hanae Kitae were now added to the list. Hanae Kitae was the real name of Manx. So Takatori Shuuichi must be important too. Persia. He had to be.

"Abyssinian doesn't want our help," Nanami said crankily, crossing her arms and watching the happiness of the younger girls in disdain. "He would rather kill himself than let us aid them."

"Then I say we tell him!" Jade growled. Her headache started to recede before this reckless mission from Chimera. She played the DVD again, hoping something might change or be added to the end that would alter their mission orders.

"Chimera was clear," Kayla said, hearing the annoyance in Nanami's voice and the anger in Jade's. "His orders are final."

"There is no fucking way he's serious." Jade spun around to face her team. "We kill people, not protect them from being killed! We're assassins, not bodyguards!"

"We will listen to Chimera!" Kirei stood up defiantly. "We're Karmesinrot Rache!" Her hunter green eyes shone idealistically. "We were given a mission!"

"We are given a mission and we take it with no questions asked, Jade," Kayla said more quietly from the sidelines. Her addition put things into perspective for the older girls.

"Blind faith," Jade said dryly from her seat, shaking her head.

"But faith nonetheless!" Kirei said firmly, looking at the two older girls with a set look in her eyes. "Weiß is getting our help."

"God help us." Jade rolled her eyes at the ceiling.

"There is no God," Nanami said bitterly. "We help ourselves."

The girls discussed options if Weiß chose to act against the laws of Tokyo. Because of their new mission, Karmesinrot Rache was pretty sure Chimera thought Weiß were innocent of the terrorist attacks.

"We don't know where Persia and Manx is," Jade pointed out as they went over a map of Tokyo. They studied the locations of the permanent checkpoints maintained by the Self Defense forces.

"Takatori Shuuichi was seen leaving his office with Hanae Kitae yesterday night at 6 PM," Nanami said. "Kirei and I will track them down but it will take time."

"I will keep an eye on the Jigen building if anything happens there." Jade turned to Kayla. "You handle Weiß. If you get any visions, let me know right away." Kayla nodded. The girls knew what to do now so they set to work.

* * *

Aya stared at the sleeping figure of Yohji on the large sofa. A full ashtray told Aya what occupied Yohji the previous night. Aya left the man alone, letting him sleep. Aya couldn't really call it peaceful slumber. Yohji had never slept peacefully since he had joined Weiß and seen Neu, the woman who he was convinced was his old lover. None of them had ever slept peacefully with blood on their hands. Omi called out to him softly. Aya turned to see the boy at the top of the spiral staircase.

"Aya-kun, can we talk?" Omi asked him nervously. The two men went to the messy kitchen table. Cleaning the house was the last thing on their tired minds. The harassment from the media had Ken in low spirits. Yohji was disgruntled and kept his worries to himself. Aya was as emotionless as usual. He only showed hate when he thought of his sworn enemy, Takatori Reiji. Omi was the only one who was being open about it. He had tried to maintain his cheerful disposition but things were getting harder on them.

"What is it?" Aya asked the boy who was avoiding his eyes.

Omi's question couldn't be phrased in any way that made it right or easy. "How badly do you want to avenge your sister?"

Aya paused, trying to think of the right words. "Takatori's death is still not good enough."

"Why?" Omi looked up at him finally.

"He stole two years of life from my sister," Aya replied, bitterness straining in his voice. "She lies in a coma while he lives on to destroy others."

"It's not fair," Omi agreed.

Aya stood up. "I meant it. If Persia does not give the mission orders, I will act on my own," Aya declared to Omi.

Omi shook his head. "You won't be alone. I will help you."

Aya met the determined look in Omi's eyes with his own. He stopped thinking of Tsukiyono Omi as a boy in that moment and began thinking of Omi as a man.


	23. Mission 06 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 06 Duell – Duel (Rain of Revenge)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-10-04

* * *

"Persia, we are here." Manx stopped the car beside the entrance of the vast cemetery. Persia wanted to go to this place one last time before he gave the mission orders to Weiß.

"Please wait for me here, Manx."

Manx wordlessly watched the tall man walk through the arched entrance. Manx suppressed an ominous thought. Persia entering a cemetery…to be buried at his final resting place.

Takatori Shuuichi loved one woman in his life and he loved her dearly. She was Kikuno, his girlfriend for most of his young adult life. So when she became the prize of his older brother, Shuuichi could no longer tolerate watching from the sidelines. With the suicide of Kikuno, Shuuichi decided it was time for him to fight his brother before more lives were lost.

When his youngest nephew, Mamoru, was kidnapped and held for ransom, it was the breaking point. When Reiji ruled out his son's life and left him to die in the hands of strangers, Shuuichi saved the boy and Mamoru lost his memory from the trauma. Shuuichi renamed him Tsukiyono Omi and raised him secretly to spite his brother. Omi became Bombay, an assassin of Weiß. Shuuichi couldn't allow Omi to be alone so he chose to become Persia.

Shuuichi stood in front of Kikuno's grave. Gentle winds tossed his brown hair around his eyes as he stared at the inscription. It read "Beloved wife and mother." The generic epitaph was a blatant lie. Takatori Reiji abused her mind and body until she couldn't take it anymore. Instead she found something she could take. Her own life. None of his nephews really knew their mother for who she really was. She died when Hirofumi was thirteen, Masufumi was ten, and Mamoru was barely four. The two oldest boys were poisoned by their father to be against their mother so she suffered alone. Mamoru was the only one without prejudice, being such a young age.

"Please forgive me for not coming sooner, Kikuno," Shuuichi said to the grave. "My brother stole the love of your two oldest sons…but it was I who took the innocence of your third."

Shuuichi stayed for another half hour, reminiscing about his past and where he was in life now. He leaned forward to touch the name, reaching past death to show his lover his heart still belonged to her. The man gathered himself before he returned to his car. Manx never left her post, showing her anxiety over his long absence.

"Shall we go give the mission now?" Manx asked, walking towards him. She paused, seeing an odd light in Persia's eyes. She stared at him in uncertainty. The lonely look in his eyes was replaced by determination. "Persia?"

"Manx, I need you to do one thing before giving the mission," Shuuichi said calmly, walking to her.

Manx felt the sudden punch to her gut before she saw it happen. The swift blow knocked her breath out violently. She felt her legs give way as darkness came over her eyes. "Why?" Manx whispered tearfully. She collapsed into Shuuichi's arms, his mercy surrounding her limp body.

"Thank you for all your years of loyal service," Shuuichi said to the still woman. "But this is something I must finish alone."

Shuuichi took Manx inside the walls of cemetery to lay her in a grove of flowering trees. He took off his jacket and wrapped it around her. Shuuichi went back to his car with a steely face. His older brother was waiting for him.

"Now what do we do?" Kirei asked Nanami worriedly. They watch their target drive off. "He left Manx in the cemetery. We're supposed to keep an eye on them both!"

"We need to take Manx to safety," Nanami decided, getting out of her car. "Once that's done, we'll get Persia."

"But where can we take Manx?" Kirei wanted to know. "We can't bring her to our place."

"No, we can't do that." Nanami could see her point. Bringing an outsider to their base was suicide. "But she can go to mine."

"You mean your old house in Seito forest?" Kirei asked, jogging towards Manx under the tree.

"It should be fine," Nanami said, thinking it over. "When Chimera moved me from Tokyo, he erased my name from the city records as the owner of the house."

They worked together to lift up the unconscious woman. They drove to the outskirts of Tokyo where Nanami lived before she was recruited to Karmesinrot Rache. Kirei kept tabs on Persia using the city's traffic cameras. Kirei looked up when Nanami reached her home.

It was a large wooden house set above a low hill. Its height allowed the occupants to look over a sweeping grassy plain surrounded by deciduous trees. The building had no garage so Nanami usually parked next to the front door. The girls carried Manx inside to the dusty living room. Kirei got Manx a spare blanket and pillow while Nanami debated whether or not to tie up Manx.

"We can't tie her up," Kirei argued, appalled at the idea. "She doesn't know anything is that might incriminate you."

"True," Nanami replied, looking around her nearly empty house. Her heavier furniture were still in their original locations but the things Nanami used daily, like clothes, bedding, linen, and small electronics, were moved to Tokyo. They returned to the city after securing the doors and windows from unwanted intruders, leaving Manx with her loaded gun.

"Falcon, Persia is on his way to Koneko no Sume Ie," Kirei said into their communicator.

Kayla sat on the rooftop of Koneko No Sume Ie, dressed in her assassin gear. To her knowledge, Weiß had not shown their faces yet. She waited patiently for movement while keeping an eye out for Persia's car. "Viper, are you sure he's coming here?" Kayla asked as she checked the time.

"He's not there?" Kirei asked in shock, checking her laptop again. The car was still driving around Koneko No Sume Ie according to her screen.

"He probably switched cars with someone, Viper," Kayla said, listening closely but heard nothing on the streets. "He probably has someone helping him keep a low profile."

"Great," Kirei said dryly. "I'll get back to you."

"Over and out," Kayla replied. She went back to monitoring Weiß.

Weiß were in their mission room when Omi called out excitedly, "I just got an email from Persia!" Omi bypassed the encryption to open the file.

"Where's Manx?" Yohji wondered, sensing something had happened to her.

"Quiet, Yohji-kun," Omi said.

The final piece fell into place to reveal a shadowed man. "Weiß, it is time for your last mission. The chosen target is the corrupted Prime Minister of Japan, Takatori Reiji. The city is in turmoil because of his negligence to the laws and justice systems. Find this man and hunt his tomorrow."

"It is time," Aya said, straightening first. "Takatori Reiji is our target." Everyone knew by looking at him he added a silent "Finally."

"Aya-kun, what should we do?" Omi asked his leader. "Should we attack his office building?"

"Takatori's been practically living there," Yohji added. "What about that man who kidnapped Omi?"

"We need a list of the security guards and the best time to breach the building," Omi said thoughtfully. "Maybe we can find out who his limousine driver is and follow them."

"Good thinking, Omi," Yohji praised, patting Omi on the head.

"Takatori likes one particular driver, Inoue Keisuke."

"Did he reserve it?" Ken asked, leaning over the hacker to check for himself.

"He definitely did," Omi pulled up a reservation file. "He reserved the limousine to pick him up from his house tonight to drive him to his office."

"We'll catch him on the way to his office," Aya concluded. Aya felt a sudden pressure in his chest. It was the hate he harbored for over two years wanting to get free.

Kayla heard faint noises from the basement but she was unclear about what was happening. The words that caught her ear were "Takatori" and "Persia" when the men trooped back upstairs to the store. Figuring they had received a mission somehow, Kayla reported the news to Kirei and Nanami.

"Hacking into Bombay's computer will take time," Kirei calculated. "Did you already slice into their telephones?" Kirei asked Kayla.

"Yeah. It was the first thing I did," Kayla replied, turning to see her handiwork. "I did a clean job of it too."

"That's all I need for now," Kirei said. "I'll do the rest so just sit tight until we get there."

"I'm going to drop you off with Kayla," Nanami said suddenly. "Follow Weiß and keep them safe."

"Are you going to find Persia?" Kirei asked quickly, unbuckling her seat belt. She grabbed a small bag of tools and slung it over her arms.

"I'm going to follow up on some leads," Nanami replied quietly.

Nanami dropped her off in the alley. Kirei saw where Kayla climbed. The outdoor staircases led to each apartment. She climbed the stairs quietly. The railings were too far from the walls so she used a window ledge as a step. Kayla leaned over, grabbing her hands and pulling Kirei towards her so they could work hidden on the roof.

* * *

Jade gave martial law credit. It made getting into an empty office a lot easier than one full of workers. She avoided the checkpoints of the Special Defense forces by entering the adjacent building using their basement access. Jade pulled up the desk chair to the window for comfort, knowing she would be there for most of the day. Takatori Reiji was protecting himself. Armed guards were posted at all the entrances with road blocks. The security was tight. The lawmen questioned everyone before letting them inside.

"Raven, are you coming?" Jade asked her teammate. She felt Nanami's presence on the stairs. Dusk was setting over the city.

"Open the door," Nanami ordered from the outside. Jade turned to the door, focusing on turning the doorknob with her mind. _Still very weak,_ she noted to her telepathy, her telekinetic power was in an infantile stage. Jade crossed the room to unlock the door physically.

"Nothing has happened," Jade updated the woman, leading Nanami inside. The younger woman saw their laptop was connected to Kirei's and Kayla's. Nanami took over the terminal. "The last thing Viper told me was Weiß were going to follow Takatori's limousine from his house in order to assassinate him," Jade continued from her seat with a pair of binoculars raised against her face.

"They hacked into Bombay's computer?" Nanami inquired. Kirei's report appeared onscreen in bits and pieces as the girls dutifully kept watch over their charges. "Did you see anything interesting?" Nanami walked over to Jade, taking the binoculars to scan the terrain below them.

"I didn't recognize anyone important that we might need to kill in the near future," Jade replied.

"Like Schuldig?" Nanami asked darkly, thinking of the sadistic man. Jade nodded. "You recorded, didn't you?" Their binoculars had a recording function like a video camera. Jade captured everyone who appeared on the steps of the building.

"I got the Special Defenses' schedules down," Jade said. Nanami scrolled through the files beside her. "They switch shifts every eight hours and send out a walking patrol hourly."

When Jade replied, Nanami didn't hear it. Her attention focused solely on the media file she was viewing. Tokizo Masaya and his American bodyguard left the building. _Tokizo_ , Nanami thought angrily. Her grip on the binoculars tightened in response to the emotion. She thought frantically, _What if he comes back?_

"Raven?" Jade interrupted, seeing the abrupt change on her teammate's face. "Did I record something interesting?"

"Where's the least amount of security?" Nanami wanted to know quickly, ignoring Jade's questions. She shoved down the frustration she felt from missing Tokizo's presence so Jade wouldn't ask more questions.

"The roof's helipad." Jade massaged away a crick in her neck after staring up at the tall skyscraper. "They don't think anyone's capable of getting up there."

"I see." Nanami turned to the computer. "Weiß is on the move. They're going after Takatori right now."

"They can handle themselves," Jade replied, walking over to reclaim her binoculars. But when she reached for them, Nanami held them away from her.

"They need back-up," Nanami said fiercely. "Will you go?"

"You want my post?" Jade asked slowly, studying Nanami. The sunglasses the team wore hid their eyes from each other but Jade could tell Nanami wanted her to leave the area badly. "Don't do anything rash, Raven," Jade warned her before she left.

Nanami sighed, breath sailing in one extended wave. It was unmistakable. Tokizo Masaya visited Takatori Reiji. Nanami clenched her hands in remembrance. Her wind powers exploded in the room, setting loose papers flying chaotically in the air. Nanami sat alone as day turned into night. She was a dark angel, waiting to turn into a dark demon.

* * *

Crawford sat with Farfarello inside the lush interior of Takatori's rented limousine. Their company consisted of four Special Defense soldiers. Crawford allowed Reiji to send along his own men after the Prime Minister said displeasing words about Schuldig's abduction of Ouka. Farfarello and Crawford could take care of Weiß alone but Reiji's actions stated something Crawford did not like. Reiji's trust was slipping. It didn't matter to Crawford. Schwarz wouldn't be here much longer. Crawford received new orders from Eszet to leave Takatori to his unstable empire but it was his decision when.

The night skies started to lose some of its moisture. Rain drizzled down in misty sheets. The cold water kept Weiß alert. Yohji and Ken watched the approaching car from the shadows of an alley. Omi stood behind a large van. Aya would draw out Takatori Reiji, crouched on a wall hidden in the leafy branches of a tree. Weiß would move in once it was determined their target was indeed inside the car.

The leaves shaded him from the rain but the wind got through his long coat. But the cold couldn't hurt him. The intense hate in his heart kept him warm. Aya remembered when his little sister turned sixteen. He would have given anything to protect her from seeing the bodies of their parents that day. If only he was just a little stronger, a little faster. He watched in horror when she flew in the air like a destroyed doll. Takatori Reiji's face burned itself into his memory. That was over two years ago. Aya, the assassin, must finish this.

"Takatori!" Aya screamed in fury, soaring through the air towards the vehicle. He landed on the roof, body bent low. He drove his katana into the car, aiming blindly. Then he heard shouted orders. A shower of bullets fired upwards at him. Aya sprang off the car's slippery roof. Four Special Defense soldiers exited first, followed by two bodyguards. "You!" Aya growled, violet eyes blazing at the sight of the composed Brad Crawford standing behind the four armed men.

"Kill them," Crawford ordered, knowing well Weiß wouldn't be defeated by just four soldiers. Crawford sent them out first because he wanted Farfarello to see how Weiß fought.

"Where's Takatori?" Aya asked angrily, standing over the last dead soldier.

"I saw a vision of Weiß attacking this car," Crawford explained evenly but couldn't hide the smug look in his eyes. "I advised Mr. Takatori to switch cars."

"You can see the future?" Omi asked in a shocked voice, taken back such people existed in this world.

"Only bits of it," Crawford replied with finality. Crawford moved first, attacking Aya with his bare hands before the others could read his intentions. Aya raised his katana to strike at the American in retaliation. The blade sliced flesh when Farfarello took the blow for his leader without a cry of pain. He grabbed the swordsman's neck with a bloody hand, throwing him against the empty car.

Ken charged Farfarello, bugnucks slashing through the rain at his intended target. Yohji interrupted Ken's suicidal rampage by shooting a wire across the battlefield in hopes of strangling the enemy. Crawford stepped into its path. His reflexes allowed him to grab the metal tip from the air. Crawford threw it on the ground and stood on it, showing the wire's owner his tricks were beneath him.

The sight of Crawford plucking it out of the air glued Yohji to the spot. Ken's charge ended when he tackled Farfarello to the ground after Yohji failed. Crawford moved again, walking on top of the wire's length until he reached Yohji. Yohji regained his senses to fight the bespectacled man. Omi aimed at Crawford, then Farfarello, then back at Crawford, unsure who to shoot first.

"Bombay!" Kirei screamed out in a commanding voice. She raced past him to save Weiß before Karmesinrot Rache failed their mission. "Get your ass in there!"

"You heard the girl!" Kayla reiterated the order while firing off an arrow from the roof of a nearby house at Crawford.

 _She must be near too_ , Crawford thought, pleased they showed up. Crawford turned to Farfarello after sidestepping the silver arrow and stopped the silver-haired youth's advancement towards Aya. "Farfarello." Crawford gripped the man's bare shoulder forcefully. "We're done here."

"What?" Aya roared, blood boiling in his ears. Crawford smirked. Weiß were never an obstacle for Schwarz. Crawford and Farfarello both jumped out of the fray, vanishing through the thickening curtain of rain. Their job to distract Weiß from killing their employer was over.

"Karmesinrot Rache!" Jade shouted in their communicators. The mission car approached them. The doors flew open before Jade demanded, "Let's get going!"

"Takatori's not in this car!" Kirei said, rushing towards her leader. "We have to find him!"

"I know where he is!" Jade said quickly. "Raven confirmed him to be in his office!"

"Gotcha!" Kayla acknowledged. Karmesinrot Rache's mission car sped off.

"She said Takatori was in his office!" Aya said, running to the others.

"I have an idea." Yohji walked over to the dead bodies. He began to strip them of their uniforms. After pulling four sets of clothes free, they dragged the men into the closest alley. "We'll get around easier with these." Weiß changed outfits quickly, taking the uniforms, hats, and machine guns with them.

* * *

Nanami jumped, alert when a car drove recklessly towards the building entrance. She used the binoculars to see who the idiot was. "Persia!" Nanami realized when Takatori Shuuichi climbed out after the scene. "What the hell is he trying to do?" she exclaimed hotly.

Takatori Shuuichi raised both hands in the air. He was immediately arrested by the guards and marched inside to see his older brother. Nanami abandoned her post then, going downstairs to wait for Karmesinrot Rache's arrival. She tried not to pace but she was restless. With the arrival of Persia, Karmesinrot Rache's mission orders became more complicated.

Nanami flagged down Jade through their electronic link. The team traveled on foot towards the side entrances. This was where Kirei's powers came in handy. The youngest girl of Karmesinrot Rache was able to alter brain waves. She emitted a type of hypnotizing aura to affect her victims' sense of vision, hearing, and memory. The result of a powerful burst was a bad vertigo.

The four girls strode towards the Special Defense soldiers confidentially. Kirei's powers never failed them yet. The men of the Special Defense forces were afflicted with sudden dizziness. Kayla's quick hand nicked prizes. When Karmesinrot Rache entered the building, two soldiers noticed their gray caps were missing off their heads. Inside the elevator, only Kirei and Kayla were in good spirits. The gray Special Defense caps rested on their heads at a rakish angle.

"Be serious, you two," Nanami scolded irritably as they were on a mission. "No mistakes can be made now."

"I know," Kirei said, tossing the cap on the floor. Kayla did the same, her toss stacking it neatly on Kirei's.


	24. Mission 06 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 06 Duell – Duel (Rain of Revenge)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-10-04

* * *

Reiji ordered Crawford to gather all of Schwarz in their main common room so he may speak with them. Schwarz waited in the lower levels of the Jigen building when Reiji barged in with his Special Defense team. Schuldig scowled at their appearance. The militia was always at Reiji's beck and call.

 _Now what does he want?_ Schuldig wondered irritably when Reiji opened his mouth.

"You're fired," Reiji declared loudly. Schwarz stared at him wordlessly. Reiji took their silence as a gift. He went on, pompous with power. "I'm the Prime Minister now. I don't need you. You've been deceiving me by pretending to be my bodyguards."

"We _are_ your bodyguards, Mr. Takatori." Crawford stood up, empty hands in plain sight. The guards didn't care. Their weapons were trained on him. "We've been protecting you since you've hired us."

"You have been monitoring me!" Reiji nearly shouted, losing control. "You pretended to protect Ouka but Schuldig placed her in danger!"

"That was a mistake," Crawford said.

"Schwarz is fired!" Reiji said again, throwing away his life with the statement. "Stay here until I decide what to do with you."

After Reiji vacated the room, Nagi spoke, "Takatori is an idiot."

"He is but he knows about Eszet's orders," Crawford mused, eyes on the stationed guards. "Someone must have told him."

"You shouldn't have told him about Weiß attacking his limousine," Nagi argued.

"It's alright," Crawford reassured. "Weiß will get another chance."

The sudden sound of shattering glass came from the direction of Farfarello. The guards snapped to attention. Schwarz turned to see one of his knives buried in the television. "Not if I kill him first," Farfarello declared grimly, golden eye roving towards the guards. "It goes through his eyes next."

Schuldig stood up suddenly. A smirk slowly appeared on Schuldig's face. Someone he wanted to see very much was coming closer.

"What is it, Schuldig?" Crawford asked.

Schuldig turned to Crawford. "You're right." A series of explosions from outside rocked the building. Crawford went towards the window. The soldiers were busy putting out the fire. "Weiß has arrived." Schuldig almost laughed. He joined Crawford at the window as the fiery explosions increase in number. "They're entering the building now."

"What about Karmesinrot Rache?" Crawford asked. Hazel eyes darted around, searching for the female unit. He saw nothing except for gray-garbed soldiers rushing hoses towards the flames to extinguish the burning wreckages that used to be three jeeps.

"They're already in here," Schuldig said, sensing Jade's mind. The neural fingerprint of the leader traveled upwards, probably in the elevators by Schuldig's judgment. There were three presences too personal to her to be enemies. They must be her team.

"You didn't tell me!" Crawford accused him.

"You didn't ask until now," Schuldig replied smoothly. "You don't like it when I read your mind."

Crawford turned to evaluate the two armed men. They were visibly nervous from the noises outside. It was time to leave the room. _Nagi, do something about those men_ , Crawford spoke into Nagi's mind directly using their team's link. Nagi's eyes went from black to dull silver when he used his telekinesis.

"What did you do?" one of the guards demanded when his partner began shaking with hacking breaths.

"We didn't do anything," Schuldig replied innocently. Both guards began writhed in pain on the floor, faces turned blue. Schuldig watched their suffering with a curious look. "We're not even armed."

Nagi crushed their bones. Farfarello slashed the two guards in the face, ripping their eyes open and air passages apart. Once the men were dead, Nagi stopped applying pressure but Farfarello continued marking the bodies. "What do you want to do?" Nagi asked the two older men.

"Nagi will come with me. Schuldig, take Farfarello with you and signal Eszet to send us a helicopter," Crawford ordered. Crawford took Nagi towards the door.

"What about Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache?" Schuldig asked, frowning.

"They'll come to us eventually," Crawford said firmly. He Seen it.

* * *

Reiji enjoyed the aura of in his office. Exquisite furnishings plus large potted plants created a sense of controlled calm. That was exactly how Reiji felt while waiting for the arrival of his brother. Shuuichi demanded to see him after a stupid prank of crushing roadblocks. Reiji, of course, had to oblige. Shuuichi was family after all. A knock on his door signaled Shuuichi was probably outside. "Enter," Reiji said grandly, enjoying the luxury of power given to him by the corrupt people of Japan.

The door opened to reveal two armed Special Defense soldiers with Shuuichi sandwiched between them. Shuuichi's arms were raised in the air. Reiji could see he was unarmed.

"How unusual for you to come see me voluntarily, Shuuichi," Reiji said with a straight face. Shuuichi marched towards his brother's large desk like he was the Prime Minister instead. He made the guards look inadequate at doing their jobs. Reiji scowled.

"I have something to say to you," Shuuichi said forcefully, looking at Reiji and nothing else. Their eyes met. "Alone."

"How coincidental." Reiji smiled mirthlessly. "I have something I must say to you as well." Reiji dismissed his soldiers.

"Prime Minister-" one of the soldiers began but Reiji gave him a hard look to silence him.

"I trust you have checked him of all weapons," Reiji said, watching the nervous men. "If you can't do your job right before bringing my own brother to see me, then you're fired. Now leave us alone."

"Yes, Prime Minister." The two men left the brothers in the office, basic training made their footsteps fall even with the other.

"Now we can talk freely," Reiji said to Shuuichi.

* * *

Karmesinrot Rache was torn between protecting two parties. They were looking for Persia whom Jade deemed was more important than the members of Weiß but the younger girls were fighting her decision.

"Is Weiß in the building?" Kirei wanted to know.

"They just entered the building," Jade noted grimly, sensing their minds.

"Shouldn't we wait for them?" Kayla asked hopefully.

"And let them know we're helping them?" Jade scoffed. "Hell no."

"But they're going to get surrounded!" Kirei argued. She cast a look back to Kayla to see her nod of agreement. "Falcon and I will watch your backs then."

"Fine, you two go after your _boyfriends_ ," Nanami relinquished them darkly. The two girls ignored her comment and lagged behind. With Jade's telepathic powers, they abandoned speech for thoughts. Nanami took the lead, her powers would come in handy if they were surrounded.

 _Raven!_ Jade pulled out her no dachi from the sheath. Three soldiers came running with fully loaded machine guns. _Pray they won't use those guns in close quarters._

 _I don't pray, Panther. God doesn't exist_. Nanami brought her hands together, palms touching. Fire blossomed beautifully from them. It flew towards the men in a chaotic river of orange-red. The slowest one to retreat got set ablaze. Jade ended his misery quickly by killing him with one swift slice. The other two vanished, calling for reinforcements.

 _There goes stealth_ , Jade said, turning to see more coming from behind.

 _Stealth went out the window when Weiß blew up that truc_ k, Nanami replied tartly. Instead of flame, she created a tornado of wind to plow through the soldiers, tossing them against the walls, floor, and even the ceiling.

* * *

Shuuichi and Reiji were still having a stand-off. Reiji sat behind his desk, confident this confrontation with Shuuichi would work out for his benefit. Shuuichi was also composed despite the dangerous situation he was in. Poker faces ran strong in the Takatori lineage.

"You must let me go first. I want to thank you," Reiji said, holding up his hands to stop Shuuichi from talking.

"Thank me? For what?" Shuuichi asked suspiciously, his hands still behind his head.

"Because of you, I was able to take control of Japan much faster than I had originally thought."

"You're using them like your toys!" Shuuichi said angrily. "Like you used your own sons so you could profit from them! You're despicable!" Shuuichi reached into his sleeve for a small hand gun concealed there. "I've come to execute you." Shuuichi pointed the gun at Reiji's chest.

"Why not send your group?" Reiji chuckled fearlessly. "What were they called?"

"Weiß," Shuuichi replied steadily.

"Yes, they were Weiß." Reiji nodded, his own hand reaching for the gun taped to the underside of his desk. "You are the same as me, killing people as you see fit. You're a Takatori after all."

"I'm nothing like you!" Shuuichi shouted, composure dropping away to reveal pure, unabated anger. "You poisoned everyone around you! You even killed your own wife and son!"

"When did I do that?" Reiji narrowed his eyes. "Kikuno committed suicide."

"Because you treated her cruelly! She rotted from the core because of you! You even sentenced Mamoru to die by not paying for his ransom!"

"Mamoru?" Reiji scowled darkly. "Mamoru was not my son!"

"What?" Shuuichi's eyes widened in shock.

"The real reason why I didn't pay for Mamoru's ransom was because it was Kikuno's wish! He was _your_ son! Kikuno was unfaithful to me! He was a cursed bastard child born of you and her!"

"You're lying!" Shuuichi said, his heart pounding painfully with the news.

"I don't lie to the dead." Reiji pulled out his gun and shot his brother in the chest. "Make your amends in Hell!"

Nanami swore when she heard a single gunshot in the now quiet hallway. Smoking charred corpses littered the carpeted ground. Parts of the wall caught fire from Nanami's powers. The two girls ignored everything else to get to the office of the Prime Minister.

"Takatori's getting away!" Nanami pointed at the figure of Takatori Reiji leaving his office towards the stairs.

"I'll go after him!" Jade cried, leaving Nanami with the task of investigating the scene in the office.

A man lay dying on the floor. Nanami turned him over, senbon in her hand in case it was a trick. "Persia!" Nanami gasped, dropping needles to use her hands to apply pressure to his wound.

"Kar- Karme…Rache?" Shuuichi struggled to speak at the sight of the masked Nanami. "He kept his wo-word after all..."

"Don't speak, Persia!" Nanami said, checking the gun wound. _Punctured lungs_ , she thought grimly after inspecting the entry site.

"Tell Omi…" Shuuichi said weakly, also knowing his time was ending. He could feel his life draining away, flowing over Nanami's gloves. "Th-that. .."

"Stop!" Nanami said urgently, knowing it was futile. Takatori Shuuichi needed medical help and she had no way to give it. Persia had only seconds to live with such a severe wound.

"Omi is Mamoru…" Persia said brokenly, his voice weakening. "Omi is my…my son… Tell him..."

"Omi is your son?" Nanami repeated the death message, shocked at the development.

"Omi...is loved…by his father after all. He's loved by me." Shuuichi's eyes closed. The great man died in Nanami's arms. Nanami leaned back on her heels and removed her hands from Persia's still body. She was moved by his words, confused by his sudden confession and was still there when Jade called her.

 _Raven, I lost the bastard!_ Jade raged angrily inside Nanami's head. _The bastard ran into some of his troops! I hate crowds!_

 _Persia died_ , Nanami said, getting up. _We failed the mission._

 _WHAT?!_ Jade cried out of reflex to distressing news. _I'm coming to you! Viper and Falcon will be there with Weiß!_

Nanami wiped her bloody hands on her clothes. Her shielded eyes took in the pristine office while the city was in ruins. He was a conductor over an orchestra of destruction. Nanami's mouth formed an unforgiving line. No wonder Abyssinian wanted the man dead.

"Damn. We're too late." Jade walked over to Persia to touch his face with her gloved hands. Jade kneeled beside the still warm body to study him carefully. She didn't feel the growing pool of his blood seeping into her gear. This was the real face of Persia, leader of Kritiker. It struck her in an indescribable way. Did all justice-seekers die this way?

"His own brother shot him, Panther," Nanami murmured in the quiet of the office. The guards were too busy dealing with the mess outside to be concerned with the murder.

"Takatori Reiji's not getting away with it," Jade said in a voice stronger than she felt.

Kirei and Kayla spilled into the room. "Raven!" Kirei gave a frightened cry. She ran towards Nanami, clasping her friend's blood smeared hands. "Are you bleeding?" She flipped over the hands, tracing the crimson streaks up her sleeves.

Nanami retracted her hands, pulling away. "This is Persia's blood."

"Persia's blood?!" Kayla exclaimed. The light touch of Jade's mind guided her towards Takatori Shuuichi's body. She sensed nothing from Persia. She turned, about to speak again. Heavy footsteps fell upon her ears. Kayla yanked out an arrow, shooting one into the doorway where it struck solidly in the frame just before Aya entered.

Violet eyes slid past the shaking arrow fired as a warning shot. "Karmesinrot Rache!" Aya stared the four girls in the room beside the dead man. One look at the body confirmed it was the wrong Takatori.

"Where's Takatori?" Ken asked, entering behind Aya. He too stared at the arrow before the body on the ground. "Is that Takatori?"

"It's _a_ Takatori," Kayla replied grimly. Karmesinrot Rache bodily prevented Weiß from coming closer until they knew where they stood: enemies or allies. "It's not the Prime Minister," Kayla said to Aya who already knew. "It's his brother, Takatori Shuuichi."

"Are you Takatori Reiji's new bodyguards?" Aya advanced on them, sword raised warily. "Did you kill the Chief of Police on his orders?"

"Of course not, you idiots!" Kirei shouted at the approaching swordsman. "We were trying to protect him!"

"Karmesinrot Rache!" Yohji and Omi finally entered the room. They had been lagging, keeping their trial clear of Special Defense forces from overtaking them.

"You said you're protecting him?" Aya repeated carefully, not sure if he heard them right.

"Of course we were!" Jade said, standing up. She didn't like the look in Aya's eyes who stared at the dripping blood sliding down her coat.

"Why don't I believe you?" Yohji asked suspiciously.

"Because you have rocks for brains, Balinese!" Jade scoffed angrily. "And while we're hear talking about this, Takatori Reiji's getting away!"

"We didn't kill Persia!" Kirei said firmly. "We were here on orders to protect him!"

"That was Persia?!" Aya's eyes went wide. He stared at the dead body of Takatori Shuuichi malevolently. Kirei blanched at his ignorance. Weiß pulled out their weapons to attack.

"Stop fighting us, you bastards!" Jade shouted at Weiß when their battle wasted precious minutes. "We're not your enemies!"

"Stop lying!" Aya shouted back at her from across the room.

Nanami saw red at his words. Their real target was fleeing while they fought each other stupidly. "Fuck this!" Nanami swore. A large tower of fire formed in the middle of the room. "Takatori Reiji is escaping!" Nanami said angrily, staring Weiß down. "Now get out!" The column of fire exploded towards Weiß. Nanami sent the writhing fire after the men out of the room to make her point stronger.

"Raven!" Jade shouted, grabbing her arm. "Stop it!" she said through clenched teeth.

Kirei coughed when smoke filled the room. "You set the office on fire!"

Jade swore as another series of explosions rocked the building. "That had better been Weiß's doing and not the Special Defenses'!"

Weiß chased after the fleeing Prime Minister of Japan, not knowing Karmesinrot Rache was hot on their heels. The building suffered from Weiß's explosions, the bombing retaliation of the Special Forces, and Nanami's extraordinary powers. Thick, choking smoke filled the hallways, making it hard for Takatori Reiji to continue without assistance. So it wasn't long until Weiß caught up with him.

"Father!" Omi called out, seeing his father.

"I'm not your father!" Reiji shouted hysterically, firing at the boy.

"Bombay!" Kirei called out from behind them.

"Viper?" Omi turned to see the girls of Karmesinrot Rache coming towards them.

"Watch out!" Kayla loosed three of her arrows, killing three Special Defense soldiers using the smoke as a cover. They had gas masks on and were stealthily traveling towards them.

"Where are they all coming from?" Kirei asked as she jumped behind Omi and held her fans already.

"Where's Abyssinian?" Yohji called out hoarsely, inhaling the smoke without meaning to. He began to cough uncontrollably behind the hand clamped over his nose and mouth.

"I told you smoking's not good for you," Jade said from behind him, causing him to jump in fright.

"Shut up, Panther," Yohji said crankily. He was in no mood to have another verbal spat with her.

"Where's Abyssinian?" Jade echoed Kayla's query. "He's missing."

"I'll get him," Nanami volunteered. The fire and smoke didn't bother her. All she had to do was create a wind front.

"Good idea. You're the one who started this blaze," Ken snapped, glowering at Nanami.

Nanami ignored the boy to go back in the dense smoke, parting it in her passing. _Idiot Abyssinian had to get himself lost_ , Nanami thought annoyed. She assumed the man would be leading the attack against Takatori with his thirst of revenge that rivaled her own. Nanami found the man in the middle of battle against three guards. Nanami threw her needles through the smoke, piercing the eyes of the soldiers closest of Aya. "Get your ass in gear!" Nanami shouted to him. She tossed another barrage of needles to create cover for Aya. She reached out to pull him with her.

"Get off me!" Aya demanded hotly as he shook off her grip.

"With pleasure!" Nanami shot back, running ahead of him. Aya looked around. Without her as his guide, he had lost his bearing again when the smoke gathered. Cursing under his breath, he followed her towards the exit.

Aya ran up the stairs to catch up with the others. But the exertion strained his heart and lungs quickly. Keeling over, Aya succumbed to his body's demand for air. He choked violently from smoke inhalation. He felt the heat of the fire catching up with his exhausted body.

"Abyssinian!" He heard Nanami's voice over his head. Through watering eyes, he saw her kneel down beside him. She rested her hands on Aya's face and concentrated her power. The air became breathable.

Aya caught his breath in the brief oasis of pure air. The oxygen entered his bloodstream, clearing his head. He felt his senses returning to him. The first thing to return was sight, the last touch. For three excruciatingly long minutes, they kneeled in the heat of the stairs together until he felt Nanami's gentle touch. Aya swallowed hard, tasting ashy saliva. He brushed Nanami's hands off. He ran up the stairs with Nanami close behind him.


	25. Mission 06 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 06 Duell – Duel (Rain of Revenge)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 01-10-04

* * *

The two were last ones to reach the roof. Takatori Reiji was surrounded by the remainder of Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache. They formed a tight circle around the man, keeping him there.

"He's yours," Nanami said to Aya as she joined the circle. Reiji glared at all of them hatefully.

" _TAKATORI!"_ Aya shouted. He charged through the circle to meet Reiji in the center with his katana. Reiji pulled out a sword from his jacket to the surprise of everyone around him. _"DIE!"_ Aya demanded, crashing _Shion_ against Reiji's sword.

The old man threw his weight into a defensive maneuver. "You're not good enough to defeat me," Reiji said, pushing Aya back "Your thirst to kill isn't strong enough!"

"If he doesn't, we will," Ken reminded Reiji coldly, his bugnucks ready and waiting. Omi and Kayla had their bows out if Aya needed assistance. Kirei watched quietly, twirling her closed shukusen in her hands like short batons with a brief pause to finger the small button that would send the blades shooting out from the metal skeleton.

Yohji stood tensely, watching the ongoing battle. Like the others, he couldn't interfere. This was something for Aya to do. The fire caused beads of sweat to form on his nervous brow. Jade recognized bloodlust when she saw it on Aya's face. Nanami did too. That was why Karmesinrot Rache stepped down from this fight. This was something that had driven Fujimiya Ran to live after the destruction of his family. It was up to Abyssinian to finish it.

"Are you going to run?" Reiji shouted at them. The silent audience unnerved him, causing irrational behavior. He babbled when his strength waned. "You won't live! You'll burn alive in this fire!"

"I'll take you down with me!" Aya screamed defiantly, dashing forward at Reiji again.

Reiji sidestepped. He followed the move with a low swing, cutting Aya across the legs. Aya stumbled past him and fell to the ground. Aya curled up to a roll before returning to a crouching position, ignoring the flesh wounds.

"Burn in the fires of Hell with me then!" Reiji attacked, moving forward. His expensive glasses had fallen off his haggard face. Ash clung to his crumbling clothes as the expensive fabric fell apart in the heat. The great politician was reduced to a desperate man in Aya's eyes.

The two men slashed at each other, mindless of the raging fires around them. However, the others were splitting their attention between the battle and the increasing heat. Nanami sensed the fire working harder to eat the group. They didn't have much time before the fire would destroy the building's supports. They were already in danger. The line between escape and death was vanishing with each moment.

"You're too weak!" Reiji shouted at Aya again, throwing him back with his attack. Despite his taunts, his body showed Aya's strikes. Blood seeped through the layers of sweat-stained clothes. "Who are you to try to fight me?"

"I'm Fujimiya Ran!" Aya shouted angrily, not caring about Karmesinrot Rache knowing who he was. "You killed my family!"

"Fujimiya?" Reiji started to laugh. "That banker's son?"

"We were happy until you destroyed everything!" Aya said darkly. His katana and will never wavered. He stalked towards Reiji. The redhead watched him carefully for an opening.

"Happiness is an illusion!" Reiji snarled. He looked up as a helicopter flew past overhead. "You're too late! My ride is here!"

"You're not leaving!" Aya stated in a low voice. "I won't let you."

"You're going to die, boy," Reiji said, his sword blazing red from the reflection of the fire.

"No." Jade smirked from the sidelines. "You will."

Aya screamed his enemy's name, leaping into the massing smoke above them. Reiji looked up frantically, trying to find where Aya would attack from. The smoke covered everyone when a strong wind gushed over them. Reiji was wrapped in the darkness, frightened. Fujimiya Ran fell out of the smoke to plunge his sword into Takatori Reiji.

Reiji felt the metal go through his body like an ice-cold spear. Wind cleared the area, allowing Aya to see the dying look on the man. "You-you.." Reiji gasped out, staring into Aya's violet eyes. For the first time in two years, he saw life in the face of death. "I had everything..."

"Blood money," Omi said bitterly from his spot, "which you will pay back right now."

"I was so close." Reiji fell onto the ground. He struggled to raise his hand to reach for his dropped sword. "So close..."

"To nothing," a mocking voice said from the fire as Takatori Reiji died on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache turned as a unit. The ring of fire began to laugh, mocking them for their frivolous display. Jade narrowed her eyes after she pinpointed the origin of the laughter. Schuldig's head appeared in the flames, his orange red hair blending perfectly, creating a gruesome display of a floating head.

Schuldig smirked at the two teams. He scanned them quickly. Only Aya was seriously injured, the rest had superficial wounds and burns. Schuldig decided he would fix that quickly. "Weiß." Schuldig grinned eagerly, stepping out of the flames.

Farfarello appeared beside him. His clothes were smothering from the heat. It seared his skin but Farfarello didn't sense it. Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß regrouped into their teams, watching the two men carefully.

"Karmesinrot Rache." Farfarello eyed Kayla and Kirei especially. They were the ones he would claim when Schuldig and he broke the group. "Drink the crimson up."

"That was rude of Takatori for trying to steal our ride," Schuldig said to Farfarello conversationally as if they were all friends. "But Weiß took care of him, didn't they?"

"I want to taste the pulp of fresh fruit," Farfarello said, licking his knives before throwing them with deadly accuracy to pierce Reiji's unseeing eyes.

"You are his bodyguards," Omi said in shock after Farfarello continued licking his knives after mutilating Takatori's body.

"We _were_ his bodyguards," Nagi corrected. The fire parted for his passing. Nagi stood beside Schuldig and Farfarello in his customary dark blue uniform. The boy glanced at Karmesinrot Rache.

"You!" Jade recognized the boy from the Jigen party from not too long ago. She knew the boy had given her the creeps for a reason. Now that reason was apparent.

"It's nice to see you too, _Yamada Michiko_ ," Nagi mocked, remembering her clearly too. "I hoped you learned some new violin pieces to play for us."

"Shut up!" Jade snapped at the boy, her grip tightening on her no dachi. "Why are you here, Schuldig?" Jade asked as well.

"Farfarello, do you know why we're here?" Schuldig looked at the man who didn't reply. "What about you, Nagi?"

"I don't know," Nagi said calmly.

"Why don't you ask him yourself, Panther?" Schuldig grinned at her. Schwarz looked over to the side expectantly.

The fire grew in intensity, beckoning the king of demons to enter the realm of the living. Brad Crawford stepped out of the fire at last. He turned his eyes on Karmesinrot Rache. The glare of the fire reflected off his glasses, transforming his eyes red. His gaze fell on one of the girls. A slow malicious smile spread across his face.

 _What the Hell is he looking at?_ Kirei followed his eyes and landed on...Nanami.

"No…" Nanami's strained voice drew their attention. "You can't be. Not here. Not now..."

"Raven, what is it?" Jade demanded, confused at her reaction at the arrival of Brad Crawford. Was Crawford giving Nanami the same type of odd feeling that affected her when she met him?

"It's not po-possible. . ." Nanami stammered at Crawford's amused look.

Crawford didn't speak, only watched Nanami's reaction like he was attending a theater performance. Emotion after emotion flashed across the girl's face. Everyone else was staring at the two. She struggled to make sense of what she saw, losing control of her needles to walk towards the leader of Schwarz slowly, stunned disbelief on her face. Nanami stopped before Crawford to touch his face with her shaking hands. "You're real…you're real."

"Of course I am." Crawford took Nanami's hands and pressed it against his heartbeat. Nanami shuddered, still stammering softly to herself. She pulled one hand free to slowly take off his glasses. Hazel eyes stared at back at her and she could see herself reflected in his pupils. Nanami closed her eyes and remembered.

 _She was four again, running towards him with a gift. A pretty shell she found on the beach. He smiled as he took it, hugged her while thanking her. Then she was twelve when she watched him fall, murdered in front of her. He laid there dying, telling her to run...to live a life she knew would be empty without him._

Nanami's azure eyes snapped open. She stared at Crawford in pure horror. The image of Crawford blurred with the tears forming in her eyes. Crawford's shape merged with the fire until all she could see was his burning body. "But you can't be here!" Nanami shrieked hysterically, pulling her hand away from Crawford. "I saw you die!"

"You did." Crawford smiled kindly but his eyes turned hard. Crawford slapped Nanami hard across her face, the move finishing before anyone could tell he raised his hand.

Nanami felt the sudden explosion on her left cheek. The blow knocked her sunglasses off her face and sent it skittering into the nearby inferno. She stumbled backwards and tripped over her own feet, falling on the ground. Weiß gasped as they recognized the girl without the shades.

"Fushiro Nanami!" Omi breathed as he recognized his crush's friend.

Blood leaked out from her mouth. Nanami sobbed brokenly while clutching Crawford's glasses in her hands. She continued backing away until she was forced against the staircase wall. "But why?" Nanami cried out in anguish, "Why did you lie to me?"

"What the fuck are you doing?" Jade shouted at Crawford and then started forward to attack him. Crawford spoke then, stopping Jade in her tracks.

"That wasn't me," Crawford said soothingly to Nanami, his voice soft and patronizingly despite the threatening look in his eyes. The girl stared at him in confused wonder.

"Raven, what's going on?" Jade demanded to know.

"I didn't lie." Crawford smiled at the sight of the hurt girl's face. "You know who I am," Crawford said, walking towards her. "Don't deny it."

"No!" Nanami sobbed, shaking head fiercely, making her hair fly around her face wildly. "You can't be!"

"Who am I?" Crawford demanded loudly. Nanami kept sobbing, shaking her head. Crawford walked towards her, malice in the core of his body. She had nowhere to run, unable to escape his intensity. _"WHO AM I, NAITSUUSHA!?"_ Crawford bellowed at the girl.

Nanami's head snapped up. _"YOU'RE NOT GABRIEL-NIICHAN!"_ Nanami screamed at him. Nanami's azure eyes leaked tears at her own words.

The blood ran cold in Jade's body. Nanami's words struck her deep like a dull knife through the heart. "Naitsuusha?" Jade repeated softly, her heart pounding erratically as she realized that Nanami had hidden something about herself so deeply, it became a part of her. To return to reality would forever change the girl.

Crawford ignored everyone, his eyes still on Nanami's tearstained face. His calmness gave way to cruelty now. "That's right, _Naitsuusha_ Fushiro _Crawford_ ," Crawford said, disgust in his voice at the girl. "It's good that you finally remembered your _other_ brother."

" _Brad!"_ Nanami gasped out in recognition. Weiß's mouths were practically hanging open at the new development. Even Schwarz was fighting their shock.

"Gabriel and I were twins, Naitsuusha," Crawford scoffed, "How could you forget that?" Nanami whimpered pitifully and couldn't meet Crawford's glare.

 _Nanami!_ Jade threw herself into Nanami's mind, devouring the memories Nanami had driven up at the appearance of Brad Crawford. _Pull yourself together!_

Crawford stared at Jade with dark amusement. "Michiko Yamada's isn't as a pretty name as Jade Akikou," Crawford said simply. Nagi focused, ripping Karmesinrot Rache's sunglasses free off their faces. "Akikou-sama," Crawford bowed politely. "I would kiss your hands but I doubt you'd let me. It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Maybe for one of us," Jade managed to find the strength to retort. Crawford chuckled mirthlessly in response. Aya stared at the four girls. How could he not have seen them for who they were? "Raven?" Jade dared not turn away from Crawford even to check on Nanami. _Naitsuusha_ , she thought, pained. _Naitsuusha._ "Get up."

Nanami sat there, dumbfound. Crawford looked at the girl in pity. She was still unwillingly to accept reality. "It's okay," Crawford said in a condescending tone. "You will forget again really soon. You'll join Gabriel, the one brother whom you did remember."

"Raven!" Jade called out in fear as Crawford reached into his jacket. Jade ran towards Crawford but Schuldig appeared in her way to block her path. Jade flung him aside without a second thought. Schuldig crashed into Farfarello, taking the Irishman down with him.

Chaos swamped the rooftop. Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache fought against Schwarz. Kayla's silver arrows littered the area when Nagi deflected all her arrows with a bubble of protection around himself. Farfarello and Schuldig rejoined the deadly fray eagerly.

Jade pulled Nanami roughly. "Raven, get up!" she cried to her teammate desperately. Karmesinrot Rache made no mistakes! To lose a teammate in battle was a mistake Jade -Panther - could not afford.

"It's useless," Crawford said in a cold voice from behind. Jade released one of Nanami's hands to swing her blade in a controlled arc. But Crawford had fired the gun before she even reacted.

It was the first time she'd been shot. The sensation seared though her torso, pain sensors exploded in her brain. Schuldig opened fire on Weiß, catching their leader in the leg. Aya crumpled when his weakened legs finally gave way. Yohji and Ken dragged the immobile Aya away from Schwarz. Kayla covered their retreat.

Farfarello moved around them, ignoring the bullets fired by Schuldig. His poniards longed for the flesh of Kayla and Kirei. Kirei struggled to concentrate, to hypnotize the enemy. Farfarello wouldn't succumb to her powers so her metal fans provided shielding; their flat surfaces sent the knives skittering off angle as Kirei defended herself against the brutal attacks.

"Raven, get up!" Jade called out weakly. She struggled to remain upright. "Please, Raven!" Jade gasped, keeping her no dachi in between Crawford and Nanami. Crawford approached them fearlessly. The heated atmosphere stole her ragged breath as dense smoke smothered the Tokyo skyline.

The female leader defended with every ounce of energy in her body. Crawford dodged the blade, grabbed its hilt and tore the weapon from Jade's weakened grasp. He tossed it away. It landed just five feet away but to the dying girl, it could have been five hundred. He lunged, muscular body slamming against her. Before she could fall, he had her in a chokehold. Jade was only standing because of Crawford.

"Your eyes are violet," Crawford murmured, gazing at her face with intense interest. He pressed her back against his torso, causing cold shivers to run through her body. Crawford leaned closer, burying half his face in her hair to say in a soft voice. "I thought they were black when you were with me. They must turn lighter when you're angry."

"Fuck you!" Jade swore weakly as she felt herself sinking into unconsciousness.

"Panther, you lost your chance when you left my apartment," Crawford murmured softly. "I'll take this before I let you go."

Crawford claimed her mouth roughly with his, yanking her mission necklace off at the same time. Jade barely sensed a sharp snap against the back of her neck as Crawford's lips overwhelmed what remained of her senses. Crawford pushed Jade back next to Nanami with her amethyst necklace in hand. Crawford studied the teardrop shaped jewel on the thin silver chain before he pocketed it.

"Now you die," Crawford said, pointing the gun at Nanami's head. The gun thundered over the roar of the inferno around them. Someone called her name frantically. Time slowed. Nanami could see the silver bullet streaking towards her.

 _Gabriel._

Nanami's azure eyes became clear again, her sorrow retreating at the moment of her death. She screamed to form a wall of wind at the last second, knocking the bullet at an angle. It was when Kirei ran over to protect her that she realized she bled from a hole in her right hip. The pain hadn't registered yet. She was still in shock from seeing Brad, in anger at his lies, and seething in fury at herself. She threw the winds into the original blaze to fan the fire larger before pulling it together to form a massive shield.

Nagi strained against the fire, protecting Schwarz as best as he could from the element. The intense heat would overcome him when he could no longer breathe. The fire stole the oxygen from around them. None of the three assassin teams could live without breathing. "We have to retreat!" Nagi shouted, the first of Schwarz to admit things were not going as Crawford planned. "The building will collapse soon if we don't!"

Crawford could no longer see the others. But Crawford still fired though the fire shield until his clip was empty. He reloaded and went through the second. The helicopter hovered unsteadily overhead, buffeted around by the heated air. The people in the helicopter threw down a ladder. Nagi ascended first, swiftly followed by Farfarello. Schuldig waited for Crawford. Crawford kept staring at the spot where he last saw Nanami. The fire crept closer to his feet but the danger was lost on him.

"They're dead!" Schuldig coughed. "Crawford!" Schuldig shouted to be heard over the noise of the helicopter. "They're dead! I can't sense them anymore!" Crawford turned to face Schuldig. Schuldig tried not to shudder at the gleam of triumph in Crawford's eyes. The last members of Schwarz climbed the ladder, escaping from the scene.

It was murderous air. The black fog surrounded them, causing them to fumble for each other wildly. Aya was still on the ground, helpless as his legs no longer moved on command. Someone stumbled over him and collapsed on top of him. Aya grabbed the unseen person. Kirei yelped in pain, then coughed violently after she inhaled smoke.

"Kirei!" Kayla's voice was musical to the gagging girl. Kayla came over quickly and pulled the girl up to her feet. "Get Abyssinian." Kayla instructed Kirei to help the man to his feet. Kirei obeyed silently because she was still coughing. Aya had no choice but to lean on the much shorter girl.

"How did you know it was me?" Aya wondered, blind in the hot fog.

"Hang on to me." Kayla began leading them to the others confidently. She was the only one who could navigate with her extrasensory powers. She led them to Omi next who was shouting their names. Kayla told Omi to help Kirei carry her burden. Kirei kept one hand on Kayla's shoulder as she guided them to the remaining assassins.

"Panther's shot! Raven too!" Kirei shouted, hearing the despair in her own voice.

"It'll be fine," Kayla said firmly, taking charge. She had no other choice. She was terrified that they'd all die here if she didn't.

"I'm here," Nanami said weakly from the ground. Kayla couldn't see the girl's face but she knew Nanami must be a mess. "Panther isn't moving," Nanami said hoarsely. "It's my fault."

"We need to get out of here," Kayla said, pulling Nanami to her feet who cried out in pain. "Where are you shot?" Kayla asked quickly, afraid the wound might be made worse with movement.

"Lower right hip," Nanami said, leaning heavily on Kayla's shoulder. "Panther..."

"I got her." Yohji lifted her easily into his arms. He even managed to salvage her weapon. "Her clothes are wet from her blood."

"We need medical help!" Kirei said frantically.

"We need to get out of here first," Kayla said levelly. "Raven, can you still use your wind powers?"

"I…Yes," Nanami said weakly, starting a small stream of wind.

"Who wants to go skydiving?" Kayla said grimly.

"You're kidding me!" Omi said, horrified as he caught on to Kayla's plan. "We're going to jump off this building?"

"Yes, we are," Kayla said with confidence she didn't feel. "We've got no choice."

Kayla grabbed Kirei's arm again and the three girls walked to the edge. Yohji followed them, taking his chances. Aya never wanted to fly. He never traveled on an airplane before and he never really wanted to. But when Nanami had gone literally crazy with rage and formed a shield that protected them and yet trapped them, their only escape was down. Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache took the express route to the ground level. Like Jade said once before, they were desperate and desperate also meant crazy.

"If we die," Yohji muttered as they lined up near the edge of the roof.

"Then what?" Kayla asked, slightly nervous herself.

"If we die, I'm definitely going to Hell," Yohji said, holding Jade. He looked down at her. "But maybe I won't. Not with an angel in my arms."

"Don't let her hear you say that," Kirei warned, trying to lighten the mood and the seriousness of the task.

"If she does, it doesn't matter anyway!" Ken said. He watch Nanami struggle with the hip wound. "Can you do this?"

"I can do this," Nanami said, her face shining with sweat. "Try to stay together." Everyone grabbed each other's hands and held on tightly. "On three!" she instructed. "One! Two! Three!"

They all jumped off the roof, falling together. Nanami felt her powers wane when fright took over. She was Raven but not a real bird! The smoke left them as soon as they dropped from the roof. The lights from the streets turned into a long one streak of yellow. Wind howled demonically in their ears. Nanami closed her eyes and thought death would be better than living with the truth. She would be doing everyone a favor by ending their lives as killers so they could move onto a new plane of existence.

"Nanami!" Kayla shrieked at her as the ground rushed up at them quickly. "Do it!"

Nanami screamed. She felt overwhelmed. Her mind was telling her to act but her heart was already dead. Her body should follow it.

"Raven!" Aya's voice shouted frantically as they passed the midway point. _"NAITSUUSHA!"_

Nanami's eyes snapped open and she screamed again. This time it was an order to the winds around them to form a semi-solid barrier. They slowed in series of bone-cracking jerks. Aya's heart leapt to his throat when pavement rushed to meet them. They landed on the ground in one solid piece and not splattered liquid.

"I never want to do that again," Kirei whispered. She slumped against the wall to the ground. Yohji followed suit, his legs shaky, arms clenched around Jade's still form. Nanami's breathing came fast and shallow. The shuddering gasps stopped when the girl fell to the ground.

"Raven!" Kayla called out after the girl fainted from overusing her powers. "We need to go to a hospital. Now!" Kayla ordered, checking her friend's pulse.

"Magicbus Hospital is the safest one," Yohji supplied from the ground. "They don't ask questions."

"Take the injured in your car," Kirei said quickly to Yohji. "The rest of us will take ours."

"Okay," Yohji said, fighting to stand. "It's not too far from here."

The two teams raced towards their cars as fast as they could with three wounded. Yohji thanked Aya silently for taking his car today because his car wouldn't fit four people. Yohji placed Aya in the front seat. Nanami and Jade went in the back. Before Yohji drove towards the hospital, Kayla grabbed the car keys from Jade's pocket and took Karmesinrot Rache's car with Kirei, Omi, and Ken inside.

The ride took forever. Only Aya stayed conscious and it was a losing battle. Yohji concentrated on the road towards Magicbus. He pulled up to the emergency department's entrance and ran inside, demanding doctors and nurses. They didn't comprehend his hurried words but the sight of him hastened their steps.

Karmesinrot Rache's car arrived in time to see the three injured being placed on stretchers. Yohji was fussed over by the nurses as they sent him off to another room for his injuries and smoke inhalation. The others received the same type of treatment after they entered.

Kirei and Kayla banded together when the nurses insisted they get checked over. Omi watched Kirei vanish behind another door with Kayla. Ken stared after Kayla, unsure about his feelings now he knew the girl was Falcon. Berating himself for thinking about girls, Ken returned his focus to the others.

"This way, please." A female nurse led Ken into a different room away from Omi.

Ken argued first. He made sure Omi was taken care of by the other staff members before he submitted. The doctor told him to take off his clothes and Ken obeyed, feeling self conscious. He wasn't seriously injured. A bullet did manage to nick his arm in passing but it was superficial. The bleeding had stopped on its own and Ken was just filthy from the smoke and battle.

"I'm going to give you something for the pain," the doctor said as he prepared a needle. "You'll be fine after you rest tonight. You're one of the lucky ones."

"What about Aya?" Ken asked quickly as the needle entered his arm.

"Which girl is Aya-san?" the doctor asked, wiping the spot where the needle entered and then bandaging Ken up.

"The red haired man was Fujimiya Aya," Ken corrected.

"I'll check up on him right after this," the doctor assured.

Ken rested in the bed. He stared at the ceiling, counting the minutes until the doctor returned with news. He struggled against the sleep overtaking him.

* * *

Manx stood in Magicbus Hospital. She woke up in Nanami's empty house in the woods to much fear and confusion. She walked her way back to Tokyo until she caught a cab. It returned her to Persia's headquarters. She wanted yell at him about his recklessness but he wasn't there. Manx traveled to Kritiker's headquarters for news. The representatives of Kritiker gave it to her.

The destruction of the Jigen Party building occurred while she was unconscious. Weiß and Persia were missing in action. Manx fought tears when she heard that, her heart grieving for their deaths. She made calls, hoping to hear something to would combat the report. Finally, she found someone who could tell her something. Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache were admitted to Magicbus Hospital.

When Max strode in, the people on the first floor recognized the assistant of Takatori Shuuichi, the former Chief of Police. Magicbus Hospital was Kritiker territory and a police hospital. The staff knew one of their own quickly and a doctor came to give Manx the diagnosis. "Are they all alive?" Manx asked him fearfully.

"Fujimiya-san will live. But he will not be able to walk for some time. He was shot in the upper right thigh. We removed the bullet last night. Both legs were slashed but the cut missed the rear tendons which is fortunate."

"And the others?" Manx tightened her hold on her grief, not letting it free.

"The other men are alright. They only had breathing problems after inhaling too much smoke. All three of them are on respirators with pure oxygen until they recuperate." Manx breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Would you like to hear about the girls?"

"Girls?" Manx asked, and then remembered Karmesinrot Rache. "Has anyone besides me come in asking about their progress?"

"No one," the doctor replied. "Two of them were seriously injured from gunshot wounds."

"Which two?" Manx asked.

"There was a young lady who was shot in the abdomen. The other girls referred her as Michiko. The bullet missed her vital organs but she lost a lot of blood before getting into surgery. So she's undergoing a blood transfusion right now."

"That's awful," Manx breathed. She imagined the state the girl must be in. "What about the other one?"

"Her friends said her name was Natalie," the doctor said. "She's going to be fine. The bullet passed straight through her body. She'll feel some pain but we have her on intravenous painkillers and antibiotics."

"Did they come with two others?" Manx said. "There should be four girls."

"The other two are fine. They are in a shared room at the moment. Would you like to see them?"

Manx nodded. She followed the doctor towards Weiß's rooms. The doctor gestured to a series of rooms. "Kudou-san is inside." The doctor pointed to the room to their left. "Tsukiyono-san and Hidaka-san are in the room beside him. Fujimiya-san is three doors down to your right."

Manx decided to visit Omi and Ken first. Knocking on the door, she entered to see the two in their beds, awake and talking quietly. "Ken. Omi," Manx said with great relief after seeing them awake and lively. "Are you two alright?"

"We could be better, Manx," Omi said truthfully. The young archer's head was bandaged as well as his upper body.

"How are you doing, Ken?" Manx sat on the foot of Ken's hospital bed. She looked at them in sympathy.

"You heard Omi," Ken said, resting against his pillows. His voice was sleepy sounding from the painkillers. "I can't think well. Something the doctor gave me makes me feel all strange in the head."

"It's just painkillers," Omi said lightly. "I got a milder dosage."

"I thought you two were on respirators." Manx pointed at the two air tanks.

"Those made it hard to talk," Omi said sheepishly. "We feel fine though."

"How are Yohji and Aya?" Ken asked groggily. "We didn't see them yet."

"They'll be fine," Manx said, trying to reassure the two. "Yohji's in the room next to you."

"That's good news," Omi breathed easier, knowing Yohji was fine. "What is Aya-kun's diagnosis?"

"He's nearby too," Manx said. "Don't worry about them. Just concentrate on getting better."

"We will," Omi said, smiling. "Thanks for coming."

Manx gave a tiny smile. "Have you heard from Persia?" Manx asked, concern in her eyes. "The organization hasn't heard from him."

"Manx," Omi said slowly. "Persia is Takatori Shuuichi, isn't he?"

"How di-?" Manx started but stopped herself.

"He was my uncle, wasn't he?" Omi asked, hoping maybe her answer would only sadden one of them instead of both.

"He is," Manx said finally. "Your uncle was Persia."

"Manx," Ken said from his bed, his brown eyes sad. "We were too late."

"Oh no!" Manx said before she could stop herself. Omi watch the woman slump over, her eyes on the ground as she grieved.

"I'm sorry," Omi said, not knowing what else to do. "Persia gave us our mission and we couldn't reach him in time to save him from my father."

Manx felt tears form in her eyes but she knew this was not the time to cry. She blinked them away and then looked at them solemnly. "Your uncle was a great man, Omi," Manx said. "He was a great man."

"I know," Omi said.

Manx stood up. "I'll check on the others now," Manx said, her voice trembling. Manx left them.

Ken turned to Omi and spoke softly. "Are _you_ okay?" Ken asked.

Omi nodded. Then he paused and said in a wistful tone, "I wish I could have known him better."

"Me too," Ken agreed.

Manx walked in Yohji's room. The man was sleeping peacefully. The soft beeping of a heart monitor and the hissing of oxygen being released from a tank near the bed stunned her. She'd seen dead men before and they didn't faze her. But the sight of Balinese in a hospital bed shook her. Manx turned to leave but Yohji chose that time to wake up.

"Pretty ladies have no reason to cry," Yohji's tired voice teased. Manx gave Yohji a small appreciative smile through her tears.

"Go back to sleep, Balinese," Manx ordered gently.

"Only if you stay with me," Yohji said. Manx stood with her hands on her hips but she walked in anyway. She sat down in the chair next to Yohji's bed.

"Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?" Yohji asked, his green eyes pleading.

"Are you afraid?" Manx asked lightly, sinking in her accustomed role as being chased by Yohji and denying him.

"Only if Panther discovered that I touched her," Yohji said, groaning slightly.

"Panther's alive," Manx said. "Karmesinrot Rache is here in the hospital."

"That's good news." Yohji said. "Are they injured? Raven and Panther were looking pretty bad. Aya too."

"They'll be fine. They just need some time to recuperate like you."

"That's good." Yohji nodded and his eyes closed. "Stay with me."

"I will," Manx promised as Yohji settled back to sleep.

Manx watched the man shift to get comfortable. Manx sat there, staring off in space in the room. Her mind wandered over to Persia, to the man she had been friends with and had protected for over the years. Manx sighed heavily. Persia was dead. The lifestyle Kudou Yohji, Tsukiyono Omi, Hidaka Ken, and Fujimiya Ran known as Weiß was over. They fought their last mission and accomplished everything they started out to do. Manx wondered what would become of them now. And of Karmesinrot Rache.


	26. Mission 07 Speigel - Mirror

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 07 Spiegel – Mirror (Reflected Soul)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 04-07-04

* * *

Hell. The fires of torment burned vividly in this mortal world. It was the time to repent or suffer endlessly, trapped without anyone to save you. It was the time when one's soul was forever twisted in the grief that filled the void of humanity within a sinner as they were divinely punished without mercy.

Hell. It also meant dawning of light in German; when the darkness of night gave way to brilliant day. The lone woman stood on the peak of a sepulchral mountain manor. The brisk, chilly air whipped the loose strands of her blue hair around her face. She blinked to clear the dust from her sea-green eyes, the only light in the darkness.

She waited patiently, watching the darkness retreat from the mountain estate. She was alone with the rising sun, capable of hearing the spirits inside the immense star. The sunlight beckoned her soul to rise from the abyss it'd been buried in for the last five years of her life. She denied it, denying herself the past because was no longer Chizuru Aoi. She was Hell.

Hell, leader of the female assassination team Schreient, turned around to face the manor when the sun finally hung steadily in the sky. Three elderly figures appeared behind her, sitting quite contently at the long, narrow table. Their entrance went by unheard and unseen as if they simply materialized with the rebirth of light. Hell bowed respectfully to the three members of Eszet. The trio had great power and great plans. Hell, along with Schreient, will play a large part in bringing their World into existence.

Hell did not know their names and they didn't care to give any to people of her status. Every subordinate to the three referred to them as Eszet, a single unit. Eszet also called each other Eszet despite the fact Eszet, the organization, had multiple branches linking around the world. These three were just the current head of the Japanese branch.

The only female in the small group was a plump woman with long, wispy white hair currently tucked underneath a wide brimmed hat. She wore a cream-colored wool outfit without trimmings, resembling a squashed egg. She smiled kindly, wrinkles shifting on her round face and spoke softly but her voice was not gentle. A knife lay embedded within to cut at the heart of the weak.

The two males at her sides were very different from one another. The older male was tall and skinny with no muscle, a stick-figure man. He was completely bald but had a full white beard that covered his lower face. His puckered lips protruded, making the wrinkles of his face even deeper. The last member of Eszet was physically younger than his two colleagues. He still had hair with color, a rich chestnut brown, but it was thinning near his temples. He lacked a beard like the other male but a thick mustache rested above his upper lip. He wore a pair of delicate, round glasses with a metal frame nearly invisible against his face. He smiled at Hell but his beady eyes were not pleased at the sight of her.

"Schwarz eliminated Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache," the younger man said quietly, his grave eyes betraying the friendly way he spoke. "They succeeded."

Hell tried not to flinch at the truth of the words, knowing his eyes clearly said: "They succeeded -you have not-." She also knew they would replace Schreient if they continued to fail. "What do you want me to do?" Hell asked them. She would do anything they asked of her. Eszet had a bargaining chip she couldn't sacrifice, the body of Takatori Masufumi. Schreient must work for them just a little bit longer until Masufumi revived. She would even kill a member of her team if it would save Masufumi.

The tall old man spoke next, his voice patronizing. "Hell," he said chuckling, "don't be scared. We won't hurt Masufumi."

Hell's green eyes narrowed at his lie. He was the most perceptive of the three. They were Eszet leaders. Their talents were fathomless, rumored to be able to do everything from reading minds to moving objects to controlling ghosts and the dead. Eszet could not be described as being jealous of her loyalty to Masufumi. They lacked most human emotions, trading them for absolute power. What they wanted was total submission from their subordinates. Submission was something Schreient had not given to Eszet.

Takatori Masufumi rescued them after the tragedies of their lives destroyed them. They became a team devoted solely to Masufumi. Eszet only waited for the right moment to seize the power of Schreient. They did so by rescuing them from the debris of Masufumi's mansion and holding Masufumi hostage until Schreient fulfilled their purpose.

"We can start preparing for the Kundalini experiment," the old woman mused, staring at Hell with a shrewd look in her eyes. "But who would make a good sacrifice?"

Hell stiffened at the old woman's words. She was aware the Kundalini experiments were still just that, an experiment without definite results. She was not going to be turned into a guinea pig for the trio's grab for power and immortality! Instead, she would offer the ideal vessel and in doing so, take revenge for her team. Hell met their eyes without fear and in a strong confident voice said, "There's a girl. She will be perfect."

"How so, Hell?" the younger man asked, extremely pleased. They adored the certainty in her voice. No one would speak to them in that tone unless they were able to lay their body and soul on the line. "Is this a ploy?"

The wind grew colder. Or was it the look in their eyes? Hell couldn't tell. She felt an aura of power rising from the group, entangling her feet and climbing up her legs. She will not lose to them. "No, Eszet-sama," Hell replied, meeting the calculating trio with unwavering confidence. "The girl will be an ideal Kundalini sacrifice."

"Then we will leave the job of getting a proper sacrifice to you," the woman said, her old eyes boring into Hell's mind. Hell felt a slow pressure as if a tongue licked away the image of her victim.

"If you fail, Hell," the skinny bald man said pleasantly before Hell could give her gratitude of living to see another sunrise, "Masufumi will not like it."

"I won't fail you." Hell nodded, clutching her fear tightly. She did know the perfect girl to use. It would be a vengeful tactic even if Weiß were already dead. Let Abyssinian embrace his little sister in hell.

Eszet didn't bother to watch the leader of Schreient leave. They knew she would come through for them because they shared the knowledge Eszet were quick to replace those who failed. "Oracle has done extremely well," the woman said happily. Her head tilted sideways to meet the gaze of the younger man. Somehow the wide hat was secured tightly against the powerful breeze. "Schwarz can be depended on."

"Schwarz needs to be commended for their efforts," the younger man added, "unlike Takatori who chose the path of ruin in his desire for power."

"That's true. He dug his own grave by turning Schwarz away," the woman said with a sigh, disappointed for the dead man's stupidity. They'd lost another puppet. Luckily, Takatori Reiji was replaceable. "His friend looks more promising," she continued. "He is very eager to take over the vacant position."

"I'm not surprised," chuckled the older man. "Tokizo has been a fine addition to Eszet."

"Whether he knows it or not," laughed the woman. "He is like a puppy chasing after scraps thrown by Harrison."

The trio sat there, talking pleasantly about the world's darkest secrets. "I have heard news from Eszet-sama in Germany about his newest team from Rosenkruez," said the woman. "They boasted their skills are better than our Schwarz's."

"We can't have that," said the younger man sadly. "Schwarz has not failed us. How can Ezset-sama compare? "

"What other news does Eszet-sama bring to our ears?" asked the tall bald man.

"Project E is past the planning stages. They already selected a group of candidates to become host bodies in Germany."

"Ah, Project E," nodded the tall bald man. "If Eszet-sama is interested in bringing his research to Japan, we should find a location for the laboratory."

"I know of a nice private school that can be used," offered the younger man. "It's secluded far into the mountains called Kisaragi Gakuen."

"You're so helpful," the woman laughed. "You must tell Eszet-sama in Germany about that academy."

"I will after the Kundalini experiment," the younger man agreed. "We will have all the time in the world after it is performed."

The three went back inside for a calm morning of tea and breakfast.

* * *

Normally, the news of Persia's death would spread like rampant wildfire in a forest full of dry tinder in any rival organization but within Chimera, the news was contained to only five people: Chimera herself and her four private faces. She wouldn't have allowed Merache to know a whisper of her plans but it was necessary to dangle him in Tokyo until Persia came seeking assistance. She allowed him his freedom and his life but she made certain Merache knew his boundaries. She sent out reinforcements to subtly push the man from spotlight back into the shadows. Chimera did not need the man to walk astray on the path leading to her goal, not when Eszet's allegiance was still unstable.

She placed her hands on a rough-edged stone tablet, three inches thick, the width and length as long as from her elbow to fingertips. For a piece of rock so huge, it was unnaturally light. Her researchers scanned the thing with imaging lasers and tried cracking a sample off but it wouldn't break. The density and molecular structure defeated all known physics and chemistry. They did not have a definite conclusion. Chimera did. The stone was not of their world. It did not come from outer space either.

"The Book of Transcendentalism," she said with satisfaction. She could not read the engraved ruins on rock's surfaces. Eszet could. This was her present to Eszet, like a golden apple to captivate their interests so they were blind to the discord around their feeble bodies.

 _Manticore._ She called her men. _Minotaur._ The two were her most useful operatives, securing Panther's and Raven's loyalties. Once more, they would secure another unwilling soul. Eszet's.

* * *

Manx woke up beside Yohji's hospital bed with a start. She looked at the wall clock quickly and saw it was already past eleven in the morning. The sun was shining, a stark contrast to the destruction and terror of last night. She stood, winced at her protesting muscles and walked out of the room. She had never visited Aya. Recalling the doctor's words about his wounds afresh, she knew he was lucky to be capable of walking. Aya's life's mission was over after he avenged his little sister. What would Aya do now? What would any of Weiß do now Persia was dead?

Manx stopped in the hall, hurting at the sudden thought of Persia dead. Manx and Persia had a purely professional relationship. Shuuichi had never shown any interest otherwise. Kitada Hanae knew his heart belonged to someone she'd never met. Before when she was assigned to be by the Police of Chief, she'd been jealous of the persistent ghost between them. After years of silence, she gave up the bittersweet battle because Shuuichi was still excellent friend even if he didn't love her. The light of hope for the world dimmed with his passing.

Manx knew Weiß or Karmesinrot Rache did all they could to save him. Manx was grateful for their efforts. She would get the full report from Kritiker sources in the future. In that same future, there will always be Crashers if Weiß disbanded.

"Manx!" Aya called out urgently when Manx walked into his room. Aya struggled to sort out the intravenous lines attached to his body in his attempt to walk. Both of his legs were bandaged heavily, making them so stiff he couldn't even bend his knees. Aya could not move without great difficulty.

"You are awake!" Manx was surprised. She assumed Aya would be sleeping since he had the worse injuries of the group.

"My sister?" Aya asked her hurriedly, sounding emotional for once. "Where is she?"

"Your sister is fine," Manx reassured as she walked towards his bed. She leaned down, forcing the smile on her face to resonate in her voice. It still failed to reach her heart. "She's just fine."

Manx's words soothed his immediate doubts. "When can I see her?" Aya asked softly. His face was discolored from the bruises caused by his ordeals. The smell of smoke and a thin layer of ash still clung to his skin. The nurses hadn't been able to give him a proper sponge bath because Aya put up a fight when they arrived. "I…thought she was missing."

"She is still in her room," Manx replied. "How are you feeling?"

"I can't move my legs. But they hurt a lot so I know I still have them," Aya answered her truthfully.

Manx laughed at his honesty to his surprise. When she stopped, she gave him a tiny lecture. "You have to stay in bed until the surgeons let you off bed rest," Manx told Aya gently. "So you're not allowed to move until they say so." Aya gave her one of his famous looks. Manx smiled, knowing Aya would despise the slow paced recuperation.

"Are they going to make me go through physical therapy?" Aya asked Manx darkly.

"I believe so," Manx answered, "For a little while. You'll be near your sister while you recover."

"I want to see her," Aya said, his eyes shining feverishly. "Can you get them to let me see her?"

"Aya," Manx soothed, "you're injured. You can see her tomorrow."

"But…" Aya stopped, feeling weak suddenly. He closed his eyes. _I just have a bad feeling…that something might happen to Aya._

"Aya, I will go check on your sister for you right now," promised Manx, sensing he wouldn't give up the battle. She feared he would cause trouble for the nurses when he should concentrate on resting. "Just get some rest," Manx urged as she stood.

"Thank you Manx," Aya said, meaning it.

Manx smiled at him. He was already starting to change. Manx walked out, going to visit the real Fujimiya Aya. The purple haired girl was in her room. _Where else would she be?_ Manx thought, sitting down by the bed. Her condition had not changed for two years. Manx took the girl's small hands in her own. To her surprise, they were silky as she'd been preserved by gods. Aya lost two years of her life to the coma. She missed her seventeenth and eighteenth birthday, sleeping in a hospital bed with minimum life support attached to her body.

"Your brother is downstairs," Manx said softly. "He will visit you when he gets better. So you also must get better too." Manx sighed heavily. She wanted to be optimistic but she couldn't see this girl waking up anytime soon.

* * *

Omi and Ken were well enough to be released today if they chose but the two younger assassins decided they would take their time. Neither one wanted to admit they would be lost without Yohji and Aya. Ken and Omi were talking quietly about the identities of Karmesinrot Rache. Both boys had no idea about how to act now in front of the girls when they were also assassins.

"I feel like this isn't real," Ken said to Omi across the room. "A boy and a girl with secret identities fall in love and then they find out they can't be together because of that fact they come from different families at war with each other. There should be a tragic play about this!"

"Ken-kun!" the exasperated boy cried. "There _is_ a play like that! It's called _Romeo and Juliet_!" Omi said, frowning at Ken.

Ken's brown eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious?!" Someone stole his idea!

"Ken-kun..." Omi sighed heavily at his friend's ignorance of classical English plays but shook himself when it hit him what Ken's words were just a few moments ago. "But wait...you're in love?" Omi stared at Ken.

"It's a story, Omi!" Ken said quickly, blushing bright red. His voice got panicky. "It's not love!" He hesitated, a new thought coming to him. "Will they kill us now that we know who they are?" Ken asked.

Omi's smile vanished. He looked at Ken in dismay. "Do you really think they will?"

"I'm not sure." Ken shrugged. "It's a possibility."

"Do you remember how Kritiker said that no one ever saw their faces?" Omi asked Ken. "Do you think that is because they killed those who did?"

"But if that's true, then they'll have to kill Manx along with us!" Ken shouted. "The hospital staff too!"

"That's going too far." Omi made a face.

"They're assassins," Ken reminded. "Anything is possible."

Omi frowned. A part of him wished he never met Kakumei Kirei and her guardians. Omi's frown disappeared quickly as Omi quickly beat that part of him to a pulp viciously. Omi smiled. Kirei gave him a second chance. He should do the same.

"Omi, if you weren't an assassin, what would you have done with your life?" Ken asked suddenly. "Aya killed Takatori now. I don't think Weiß will be getting any more missions with Persia dead."

"I don't know," Omi replied. "It's a scary thought." He was about to go on but looked up when a woman called for assistance. "Code Red?"

"What's a 'code red'?" Ken inquired, hearing the alarm being repeated again.

"That's the page code for a fire!" Omi said, standing up. He listened to the woman's steady voice. It was a room on their floor.

"Wait! Omi!" Ken called when Omi went to the door. Omi opened it and almost collided with two men with a fire extinguisher in their hands. "Omi!"

Omi ignored Ken's shouts, following the nurses to a room at the end of the hall. Others went around closing the fire doors. When Omi tried to enter the room with the fire, one of the nurses blocked his way and ordered him out. "I want to help!" Omi said, trying to see what was going on in the room.

"It's contained!" the nurse said, blocking Omi's way with her body. "Please return to your room!"

"You freaking pervert!" a familiar voice screeched indignantly within the room. Omi paused in shock at the sound of Kirei's furious voice.

"Kayla-san?" Omi ducked under the nurse's outstretch arms to see the chaos. "Kirei-san!"

Beside Kirei's bed was a boxy heap of something metal, most likely a machine that monitored her health. It was sending sparks into the surrounding area next to Kirei's bed. The young assassin was standing on top of her hospital bed with both shukusen, openly threatening the staff.

"Calm down, Claire-san," one of the nurses begged at the foot of her bed.

"Claire!" Kayla shouted over her friend's furious voice, using her alias in the hospital. "Don't kill them!"

"Kirei-san!" Omi waved to her weakly. Omi skirted around the busy staff and stopped beside Kirei's bed.

"It's Claire," she muttered from the side of her mouth.

"Claire-san, it's just a needle. We need a blood sample before we can let you leave the hospital."

"Tch," Kirei gave the staff one of Jade's special dark glares. She lacked Jade's true personality and frosty violet eyes. When they didn't waver immediately, she held up her shukusen, fingers ready to press the button to release the blades.

The man with the needle left the room, hoping to send someone else to deal with the uncompromising patient. The small fire was taken care of and the machine wheeled from the room. Kirei wouldn't look in that direction, instead she stared at Omi intensely. "What are you doing here?" Kirei asked Omi suspiciously. "Are you on orders to kill us?"

Omi shook his head. He couldn't believe he was having this conversation already. He steeled himself, telling himself he needed to be honest to the girl no matter what. But it didn't help Kayla was in the room with him.

"Drama drama drama," Kayla stared at the two of them with the same interest reserved for a show.

"Um, I was wondering if _you_ were going to kill us," Omi said reluctantly.

"I don't know." Kirei shrugged nonchalantly. She sat back on her bed, bouncing and knocking pillows askew. "We were on orders-"

"Viper!" Kayla cut her off quickly, plainly nervous. "We're not allowed to talk about our mission orders."

Kirei frowned at her friend. "Hey, since when did you become Panther?"

"I'm oldest after Raven! So by ranking based on age, I'm in a charge!" Kayla smirked at Kirei, sensing Kirei's resulting scowl. "But still, don't talk about mission orders," she warned again.

"I think I can tell him," Kirei said, turning to Omi. "Omi-kun, Karmesinrot Rache was on orders to protect Weiß, Manx, and Persia. We failed to protect Persia but as far as I know, we're still on orders to protect the rest of you."

"So does that mean we're not enemies?" Omi asked.

"You're safe from me," Kirei answered with a brisk nod. "But to be honest, I'm not sure how long because we might get new mission orders from Chi-...ahahaha!" Kirei covered the slip with a nervous giggle.

Kayla coughed during Kirei's lapse. _She said too much! I knew she would! She should listen to me once in a while._

"Omi-kun!" Kirei said suddenly. "Where's the rest of Weiß?"

"They're on this floor too and they're all fine," Omi replied honestly. _I should trust her. I mean they already know where we live and if they wanted to kill us, they probably would. But I don't think anyone who was told to protect us would change their position so rapidly._ He gave Kirei an encouraging smile.

"Panther and Raven…" Kirei gave Omi a sad smile. She wanted to say her leader and mentor were not as understanding of the situation but it didn't seem appropriate, not when Omi came to visit her with the best intentions at heart.

"Did you already visit them?" Omi asked the both of them. Both girls shook their head.

"We're barred from them. They're too injured to have visitors right away," Kirei said disappointedly. She was worried about their health since this was Kritiker territory.

Omi studied both girls carefully. They weren't wearing their mission sunglasses since Schwarz destroyed those. Their coats and Kayla's weapons were probably in the closet. They were clean and they seemed physically fine.

"Omi-kun, shouldn't you be back in your own room?" Kirei asked suddenly, feeling embarrassed to be under Omi's inspection. His worry washed over her body pleasantly but it was too strange to have any boy direct his concern her way. Omi nodded, said goodbye to the two girls before he left. Kirei watched Omi exit and then sighed, beating her pillow in frustration. Kayla tilted her head at the odd noises and asked what was wrong. "Do you think it's alright for me to let him like me?" Kirei asked Kayla who would understand best since she wasn't anti-Kritiker like Nanami or hated anyone with a penis like Jade.

"Is it okay to let yourself like him back?" Kayla asked. "I think that's the most important question."

"He's the first boy I liked since I joined the team," Kirei admitted. "Chimera told me I should choose carefully. People like me because I unintentionally make them," Kirei stared at her two hands. She touched her left eye and massaged it. "I had the same problem before I got Chimera's help. Charismatic is what they described me as before I started this…lifestyle."

Kayla was silent. Kirei had the life most girls would have dreamed about. She was popular, pretty, and young, riding on the success of her short-lived enterprise. Kirei had no worries. But deadly circumstances and a twist thrown in by Fate allowed Chimera to create Kakumei Kirei from the girl she was before. Kirei flexed her hands around her shukusen, feeling a dull sensation in the entire length of her right arm. The nurse wanted to insert the needle into it, deep into the wires encased in false skin and flesh. Kirei hid it under her sheets with a frightened expression.


	27. Mission 07 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 07 Spiegel – Mirror (Reflected Soul)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 04-07-04

* * *

Nanami was waking up for the first time since her revelation. Again, the world mocked her with her hated weather, bright sunshine without clouds in sight. The room was exceptionally sunny. It hurt her eyes. She couldn't move her body for the first few minutes because of the pain. When she got used to it, she forced herself into a sitting position against her pillow. Her azure eyes were red-rimmed from the smoke, black hair matted and stringy, and her skin had a gray cast.

Harsh words slammed into her, accusing coldly. _"The one brother you did remember..."_

Her mind went back to when she was a little girl. She was with Gabriel at the beach. Brad…where was Brad in her memories? Nanami looked around her room but there were no answers there. She felt utterly betrayed by the one person she loved more than anything. Gabriel never spoke of Brad. She always believed her family was dead. Was the memory of Brad erased by Gabriel's presence? All her life, she focused on Gabriel and felt their closeness. But the fact that Brad was still alive and had walked down the same path (and embraced it) she had chosen was too surreal for words.

 _Fushiro and Crawford, that's my last name,_ she thought. Her mother was Eric Crawford's second wife, married after his divorce. Blood ties didn't matter because they were one family. Or at least that was what Nanami assumed. Apparently Brad possessed other ideas of family. She was too young to ask why Gabriel chose to change his last name from Crawford to Anderson, too young to question why he wanted her to select a new first name. Before she was wise enough to ask for the answers he owed her, he died…-she inhaled painfully, _murdered_ -…also too young.

* * *

In Tokyo, a small mansion sat isolated from society by a large cherry orchard, expanses of forest, and lack of proper highways. Within its walls, Neu and Tot worked hard the entire day without breaks to set up the room to sustain one Kundalini sacrifice. Hell and Schön would return with the little girl known as Fujimiya Aya. Neu decided it was time to run diagnostic check on their security systems while they had time.

"Papa will come back, right Neu?" Tot asked in her childish voice. "Rabbi-chan and Tot misses Papa!"

"Masufumi will return," Neu reassured the girl flatly. She had no doubts her lover would return to the team once Eszet receives their vessel. "We will bring him back."

"Rabbi-chan's happy then! Tot's happy too!" Tot giggled as she made Rabbi-chan bounce in the air on her lap. Her happiness became shadowed. She sent Neu an innocently, concerned look. "Neu'll be happy too?" she whispered, eyes wide. She didn't want Neu to be sad anymore like she was.

"Yes," Neu answered. "Neu will be very happy." Schreient will have their revenge against Eszet. This Fujimiya Aya girl would be their trump card against all those wronged them.

* * *

Yohji grumbled, the noise sounded pitiful even to his ears. He wanted a cigarette! But the cute nurses still refused to let him smoke in the room, citing he was in here for smoke inhalation and it would defeat the whole purpose of his stay if he relapsed from cigarette smoke. So Yohji resigned himself to defeat. Omi and Ken visited earlier in the day. Their visits took his mind off the nagging sensations inside his body. The three decided it was best to see what Aya would say before they decide to disband or continue working as Weiß.

 _What's the point?_ Yohji wondered with a scowl at the curtained windows. _Asuka's dead. Neu's dead. Takatori's dead. Persia's dead. And I don't want to be dead. What's the point of being Weiß when you have nothing to fight for anymore? Ken's got so much going for him if he could get over the fact he was an assassin. We all could if we did that. Ken would definitely go back to soccer. Omi's so young and can go to school. Aya…_ Yohji stopped, stumped. Aya's mind was the most complicated when it didn't concern killing Takatori Reiji. _Well I don't know what Aya might do. But it won't be away from his sister._

Omi and Ken were watching television. Hospital programming was pretty boring but they had nothing else to do. Omi told Ken about his conversation with Kirei and Kayla, urging Ken to face up to Kayla soon. Ken had high hopes for himself since both girls seem extremely easygoing without the supervision of the two older teammates.

"Talk to her," Omi said to Ken. "It's best to get it over with as soon as possible so you won't be like this."

"Like what, Omi?" Ken asked, moping slightly.

 _Like that,_ Omi sighed at Ken's depression. "Do you want me to get her for you?" he asked thoughtfully.

"I don't need you to do that for me." Ken walked out of the room confidently, more for show than anything else. When he got outside into the hallway, he faltered. He swallowed the lump in his throat.

 _I can't believe it. I can kill countless lawbreakers but I can't go talk to a girl!_ Ken glowered at his cowardly body. _C'mon, Hidaka! Think of it like a goal._ Ken made two fists in determination _. Yeah! The girl's the goalie of the opposite team and I need to get the last point in to win the game. So I gotta go towards the goal post! J-League player Hidaka Ken breaks through the offensive! He charges with a clear shot at the goal for the winning point! His adoring fans cheer for him. He runs forwards with superhuman speed! No one can catch up to him! That's right. So walk, Hidaka! Walk!_

"Walk, Hidaka!" Ken ordered himself to move his feet but his unwilling body had turned to iron. It would not budge at his command. He swore under his breath.

"Ken-san?" Kayla's concerned voiced asked from behind. Ken spun around with terrified eyes. "Are you feeling alright?"

 _And he loses the ball to the other team and there goes the game!_ "Where did you come from?" Ken asked her in a ragged voice.

"My room." Kayla pointed behind her. Ken realized he was facing the wrong end of the hallway. Ken grimaced at his mistake. _I'll never live this down if the others knew._ "You wanted to talk to me?" Kayla asked him. "Because I need to talk to you too."

"Yes," Ken nodded vigorously. He glanced at his still opened room door. "Do you want to go back to my room?"

"Ken-san!" Kayla teased. "That was quick. We aren't even dating yet! "

Ken blushed. "It didn't come out right!"

Kayla laughed kindly and then held up her hand. Immediately Ken reacted without thinking to allow Kayla to rest her hand on his arm. Kayla smiled at him. "Let's go for a walk," suggested Kayla. "I know for certain that there's a nice park owned by the hospital."

They reached the designated park and took a seat on one of the wooden benches underneath a grove of trees. Staff and patients used the small park when they wanted to go sit outside in good weather. Ken and Kayla were not alone. There was another patient sitting at a table with an open book in hand while his nurse watched over him.

"It's nice out today," Kayla commented contently, basking with the sun on her face like a plant after days of shade. She smiled at the sensation of gentle wind. Ken agreed but they kept quiet after that. An awkward silence hung in the air for Ken but Kayla wasn't feeling the same way. She felt relieved she was still alive and everyone she loved was too. "There's no need to prolong this," Kayla said, turning to Ken finally. "You want to know something about us, don't you?"

"I guess it's obvious," Ken gave her a weak smile. "But it is true."

"Ken-san, I like you," Kayla stated without hesitation. Ken stared at her with his mouth open. "Kirei said you were dense but I was hoping you could tell," Kayla smiled at him hopefully.

Ken shook himself to regain focus on her words. "She said I was dense?" Ken asked, offended.

Kayla blinked. "Ken-san, that's not the point," Kayla said, feeling like she was talking to a wall.

"Did you know that we were," Ken dropped his voice, "Weiß?"

"Yes we did," Kayla nodded. "The information was given in a mission order."

"Persia was Takatori Shuuichi," Ken said, sinking against the bench. "I don't know what we're going to do with Persia dead. I doubt Aya will take another mission. I'm not sure about the others either. God, Omi's in high school still." Ken couldn't get over how young they all were and that this lifestyle as assassins might be over if they chose it to be. "I might go back to civilian life… Maybe you would too?"

"We're still going to be active," Kayla said firmly. "Karmesinrot Rache still has a lot of work to do."

"Can't you quit?" Ken asked, feeling worried for her safety. "We know who you are! You shouldn't stay in Karmesinrot Rache anymore! You can go do something meaningful with your life now!"

"Ken-san, I think you got the wrong impression of me," Kayla said quietly. "And of Karmesinrot Rache."

"Explain it to me," Ken said stiffly.

Kayla stayed silent, thinking of the right words to explain without giving away too much information. "Karmesinrot Rache doesn't have any optional missions. We take everything that is given," Kayla said softly. "But we do have the choice to stay as active members. I _want_ to stay, Ken-san. I _want_ to be with my family because that's who Jade and the others are to me. They're my family. If I leave the team, there's nothing for me."

"You can't be an assassin for the rest of your life!" Ken argued. "Doesn't it bother you to kill people?" He lived as an assassin telling himself the people they killed deserved to be dead but his conscience was always doubting if he had the right to judge. Now Ken had the chance to leave Weiß and return to a sense of normalcy. Why can't Kayla see she had the same chance?

Kayla stared at Ken straight in the eye so he would received the fullest impact of what she wanted to say. "No, it doesn't," Kayla said strongly. "I think that's the difference between you and me. Or even the other girls and me. Being an assassin doesn't bother me…because I had the option to choose this life. I didn't have any tragic accidents or anyone to revenge like Fujimiya-san. _I_ chose to become Falcon, knowing exactly what it means and what I have to do."

Ken gaped at her, uncomprehending how this girl in front of him could be a killer without the remorse of having taken a life. Her words contrasted with the easygoing personality when they were together. "You're going to stay?" Ken asked.

"You have no right to ask me not to," Kayla said gently. "After all, we're on rival teams."

"So I don't matter?" Ken asked, getting angry. He was _worried_ for her!

"Do you?" Kayla asked him softly. "Do you want to matter?"

"I do," Ken said finally. Ken reached over to place his hand on top of Kayla's.

"So now you know about me," Kayla mused. "Can you handle it?"

"I can," Ken said confidentially. The two of them sat there, enjoying the warm weather until the nearby nurse ordered them to return to their rooms.

* * *

She felt locked in her body. Nanami's azure eyes stared blankly at the walls of her room. A doctor and two nurses came to make her comfortable and bring her meals. The meals returned to the kitchens untouched. The lumpy pillows, detergent synthetically smelling like snowy mountains, gave her no comfort.

Other than the staff's intrusion, no one visited. "Kritiker bastards," Nanami said hatefully in the darkening room. Nanami never forgave Kritiker for Gabriel's death. She didn't care if he was their "tech support," a highly respected computer programmer for their security. His key project was Nine Lives, the organization's communications network. It was Kritiker's fault he was dead because they didn't protect him. Nanami closed her eyes, feeling pain well up inside of her heart. Whoever said time would heal all wounds should burn in Hell.

To the day, she despised buttery popcorn. It was the smell before his death. But when she was twelve, popcorn made up her birthday dinner. The colored lights of the park rides dazzled her. Gabriel promised to take her after a week of begging and sulking. He gave in after a mock lecture about wasting his time. But Nanami saw the smile in his eyes, knew she had him wrapped around her finger. It was normal to have cars in the parking lot. Why should they worry if one suddenly drove towards them? She saw the car come, accelerating faster. But she didn't think twice about it. So it caught her completely unaware when Gabriel threw her to the side before he dodged the vehicle.

The car stopped so the driver could apologize. At least that was what she thought was going to happen. But it wasn't so. Nanami watched in fascination that turned to horror when she saw the gun in his hand. This was real, not like the ones in action movies they loved to watch. Three shots rang out, louder than her terrified screams when the black asphalt became splattered with crimson drops swiftly pooling together. She didn't care about the car as it sped off wildly. She didn't care about anything but the blossoming red stain on Gabriel's chest as she held him, the kimono she wore at the time turning as red as Gabriel's clothes.

"Gabe-nii?" Nanami whispered faintly to him. No one else mattered. She couldn't hear or see the people screaming for an ambulance or feel the stares she received.

Gabriel's eyes focused solely on her, drawing the world around them closer. He spoke with all the strength he had. "I'm okay. . . Don't cry, Nami-chan," he managed to say in his gentle soothing voice. His chest heaved, blood spurted in miniature fountains.

"Why?" Nanami asked him. She couldn't think of anything but the reason. Why would anyone shoot her brother? Why did this happen to them?

"Sor...for leaving you…" Gabriel apologized weakly.

"No! Don't!" Nanami wailed fearfully. Now the world expanded until strangers filled her vision. She fought to cling onto her dying brother. "You're not going anywhere!"

"I…thought…was okay…Nami…" He warned her before he died in her arms.

Nanami opened her eyes. The room was blurry from her tears. She wiped them away. "I don't care what it takes but they're going to pay," Nanami vowed on Gabriel's grave. She got out of bed on unsteady legs, then collapsed when her hip screamed in agony. She was going to get the others out of this damned Kritiker base!

"Jade." Nanami moaned when she remembered the girl was wounded on her account. She slumped against the bed, sinking into a deeper regret. She had been only thinking of herself all this time while the telepathic link, trademark of Jade's powers, was inactive. She straightened up and walked unsteadily, headed to the floor for the critically injured.

She used her access to the Magicbus Hospital's computer system from her role as an intern to locate Jade instead of asking the staff. She doubted the hospital staff would let her out of bed anyway. "Jade," Nanami sat, throbbing body relieved of its own weight, beside the girl and held her cold hand. "I'm sorry." Jade didn't stir. Nanami didn't bother to hope she would. She sat there, full of regrets and dark sobering thoughts.


	28. Mission 07 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 07 Spiegel – Mirror (Reflected Soul)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 04-07-04

* * *

The emergency door was unlocked like it should be. Hell scoffed at the ease to manipulate others when there was a pretty face attached to some large bills.

Hell was dressed in a doctor's lab coat with Neu by her side. Schön was not suitable for this kind of work so she waited in the car in the parking lot. Hell needed strength to help remove Fujimiya Aya from her hospital room. Neu, dressed in a black outfit, waited in the shadows until Hell finished checking the halls. The two of them walked into the stairwell and climbed up to the fourth floor. They planned on getting the girl out the same way.

Hell led the way confidentially with the knowledge she was able to answer any questions the personnel might ask. She had more medical knowledge than half the competent staff combined. No one questioned a woman in a white doctor's coat.

The two women of Schreient entered Aya's room silently. They worked quickly to unhook her body from the contraptions around her. As Neu lifted Aya into her arms, Hell smiled grimly, feeling Masufumi in her arms again when they succeeded. "Let's go," Hell ordered.

"Let's not," Nanami said loudly to the strange women. Schreient turned to see a shadowed woman by the door, three sharp needles glinting white. The lighting in the room was too dim for Schreient to see her face. Pure luck allowed Nanami to arrive at the scene of the abduction while returning to her room. They had brief stand-off before Hell lunged at her, brandishing a large shuriken in her right hand.

Nanami threw herself to the floor as the shuriken sliced the wall. Nanami got up swiftly despite the rebellion in her hips. Nanami threw the needles at Hell but she dodged them. Schreient's reflexes were at its prime. Neu slipped past her defenses and aimed a solid kick to her abdomen. Nanami fell with a pained scream, crippled. Her scream was quickly cut short by another physical blow. She went down hard. Hell approached with a raised shuriken.

Nanami's mind was flooded by the telepathic link. It was active! She felt a struggling effort from Jade to answer her call for help but she knew Kayla and Kirei would come to her aid faster. She would need to remain alive until then. _Easier said than done_ , Nanami scared Hell with a short burst of fire to force a brief retreat. Nanami wanted to faint but the enemies wanted that girl. Nanami couldn't let them take her. She stood up weakly, using her shaking legs to slide her body up the wall, and tossed another barrage of needles. Neu was perched on the windowsill with Aya in her arms. Hell shielded her while Nanami stayed in front of the door.

"Get her out," ordered Hell as she watched Nanami warily. "I'll take care of her."

The door opened behind Nanami to admit her reinforcements. Ken, Omi, Kayla, Kirei and Yohji stood outside in the hall.

Yohji gasped at the sight of Neu. "Asuka!" Yohji shouted in shock. Neu left through the window with Aya in her arms. Nanami ignored the man as he ran into the room towards Hell. Hell threw him back before she too jumped out the window.

Nanami felt all her energy spent and would have fallen over if Kayla had not appeared by her side to support her. "Raven?" Kayla asked her, worried at the sight of her blood seeping through the bandages. Nanami wore half of her gear and what she had on was rapidly turning red.

"It's nothing," Nanami said with more force than she intended, pulling herself up with Kirei's help. "I refuse to let my own carelessness, my own stupidity at getting myself shot, to jeopardize this unit! Is that understood? We're getting out of this Kritiker base and that's final!"

"Roger!" said Kirei brightly, worries cast aside at the new and responsible Raven. She helped Nanami out of the room. The sight that met their eyes was not a pretty one when they entered the hallway. The team was stopped by Aya's death glare directed straight at them.

"Where is Aya?" he shouted angrily at them, fighting against the staff that was not so much as restraining him but propping his flailing body upright. Aya shook where he stood from the strain of standing. His clothes hid his bandages. But everyone knew the man should not be out of bed.

Nanami froze at the sight of the icy violet eyes, accusing her for her failure. She couldn't answer as she read the painful disappointment buried deep within the hatred. It was the disappointment that knifed her through.

"Aya-kun, you shouldn't be out of bed!" Omi said quickly as he went to help the staff. Omi grabbed him and steadied him despite his struggling.

"Where's my sister?" Aya demanded to know. He shouted again, wanting his answer. Yohji couldn't meet his eyes. Ken only stared at him wordlessly. "Where is she?"

"She was taken," Omi said finally. Aya threw him aside. "Aya-kun!"

"How?!" Aya shouted.

"Schreient," Ken answered him.

Aya's face went ashen, wavering on his feet. Long seconds slipped away before he walked with sheer willpower back to his room to get his things to leave. He looked up when a woman blocked his way. His eyes hardened at the sight of a dead-looking Jade. Their eyes exchanged words. Jade warned Aya of who he was glaring at. Aya stalked past. Jade gave him a lingering look before she turned to the others. She was standing, a feat shadowed by the waxy color of her skin and the limp shell of her body garbed in hospital gown.

"Viper, get our gear into the car. We are leaving immediately," she ordered softly. Order given, she toppled forward ungracefully forward. Kayla, fastest of the group, ran towards her and grabbed her around the shoulders before she crashed to the ground.

* * *

Aya demanded Kritiker used all their resources to locate his missing little sister. Aya regained usage of his legs but he wasn't able to remain on his feet for longer than ten minutes at a time. He pushed himself over his limits to get well so he could search for Aya. Manx warned him of this but he ignored Weiß's voiced concerns over his health. Aya had just avenged his family. He could not stand losing Aya again.

"I'll do my best," Manx said briskly. "I've received help from other Kritiker agents, Birman and Botan. They're working the field right now."

Aya turned towards the circular staircase leading upstairs from the basement, determined to climb it without taking a break. The others watched Aya stand with difficulty. Aya snapped at Ken once in his edged voice and the others had gotten the hint. Yohji half-jokingly said the only way Aya was going to stop running after his sister was when he was dead. After getting an incensed glare from Omi who was mothering the redhead and a wry smile from Ken, they let Aya have his way. They adored their fingers and did not want to lose them to the snapping swordsman.

Aya paced his body as he climbed up the stairs. He was aware of his limits but he didn't let them hinder him. His sister was in the hands of Schreient. He reached the level of the store, feeling bitter but victorious. He turned in shock when he saw Nanami standing in the middle of their store, looking over their red roses. Aya was sure the sign was still flipped over to **CLOSED** and doors locked. "How did you get in?"

"Being an escape artist teaches you some useful tricks," Nanami replied as she picked over the flowers for the freshest ones.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Aya angrily. "We're closed right now."

"But I'm a paying customer," said Nanami as she gazed at Aya's wheelchair behind the table. "Do you use that at all?"

"Get out," Aya ordered her, ignoring the question about his wheelchair.

"Isn't it supposed to be 'buy something or get out?" Nanami asked him, gathering six long-stemmed roses in her hands. "I do recall it is your favorite line when you pose as a florist. I _am_ buying something and you have no other customers." Aya walked stiffly towards the cash register. He sat down in a normal chair, glaring at the wheelchair as if it gave away his weakness to the girl. Nanami brought her roses and placed them in front of Aya. "I'd like these wrapped up," she requested softly.

Aya took them wordlessly. He assumed it was for the injured leader. Nanami held the flowers against her chest after paying. "What is it?" Aya asked the staring girl.

"I tried to save her," Nanami said softly.

"The effort wasn't good enough," Aya said bluntly. "She's gone."

"I'm sorry." Nanami bowed her head. "I know what it feels like to lose someone. Especially losing them twice."

"Your brother is that bastard Crawford," Aya spat in contempt. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Because you're not the only one that's hurt, Fujimiya-san," Nanami said, a tiny edge in her sorrowful voice as she pressed the flowers against herself. "You're not the only one in the world who suffers!"

Her words were true. But... "I don't need to hear that from you!" Aya said darkly.

"But you do need to hear it," Nanami replied, meeting his angry eyes. She reached into her bouquet and removed a rose. She laid it on the table in front of Aya. "Because you're not the only who mourns." Nanami walked away, her heels clicking against the floor. It was the only noise until she left the small store. Aya stared at the rose and reached for it finally. The velvet petals brushed against lightly his skin. Aya remembered the meaning of the crimson red rose in its language. _She's been mourning too._

* * *

The wind rustled the willow trees bordering the cemetery. Their long, drooping branches swayed in a dance as various birds flitted around the shady crown. Grassy hills sloped around a meticulously swept path leading to the innards of the cemetery. She stood with her limp hands at her sides. She stared at the two names in the white tombstone, feeling scared. "Crawford,"Nanami read the name to herself, "Eric Crawford. Fushiro Setsuna." She read them again, memorizing the curve of the kanji and roman letters until she could recall them on her deathbed. "After all this time, it was right in front of me. The name that always eluded me was here," Nanami murmured sorrowfully, shaking her head.

She had the urge to visit this cemetery ever since she got out of Magicbus Hospital. She left the house to come to this old cemetery, drawn here to face the past denied to her by her faulty memory and gory circumstances. She laid the roses at the base of the headstones.

She remembered the joy of having an older half-brother who doted and protected her after she was born. Gabriel - _Brad too_ ,- she added with decreasing difficulty as she accepted his existence, were seven years old when she was born. Her mother named their first daughter Naitsuusha.

 _But Brad? Why?_

Heavy footsteps snapped delicate stalks of grass behind her. A man stopped beside her. He stayed silent respectfully until Nanami turned to look up at him. He was built like an ox, a gargantuan beast in a man's body. His hair was of the deepest black, only surpassed by his eyes. Those black eyes were kind though. Nanami knew Minotaur had to be a man, not a monster. No monster could afford to wear an expensive business suit tailored to his muscled body with polished shoes.

"Chimera, did you know?" Nanami asked him, turning back to the graves.

"I had my suspicions," Minotaur admitted guiltily.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nanami asked, her voice shaking with suppressed emotion. "Why did you hide it?"

"I didn't want to break your already shattered heart," Minotaur explained, laying his large hand on her shoulder. He dwarfed the girl with his height and build. They were a strange couple in the middle of a serene cemetery. "I didn't want you to hurt."

"It won't stop," Nanami said brokenly. "It won't ever stop."

"It will," Minotaur said, squeezing Nanami's shoulder gently. "You've got to heal it yourself. You can't let it stay this way."

"I don't know anything anymore," Nanami said softly.

"There's nothing you can do about the past," Minotaur said. "Focus on the future. You still have something really important to do."

"Tokizo," Nanami replied, clenching her hands.

"Revenge will not satisfy you even after you completed it," warned Chimera. "Look at Abyssinian. His sister is still comatose."

"And kidnapped," Nanami murmured. "He blames me for it. I can tell in his eyes, he blames me wholly for it."

"You're going to let him?" Minotaur asked. "That's not like you. The Raven I know won't let that stand."

"The Raven you know died when she learned Brad was alive and he tried killed her," Nanami replied. "He tried to kill all of us."

"I take it that Schwarz and Weiß both know your identities," Minotaur said, taking his hand off Nanami's shoulder. His lack of touch was unreassuring. Its sudden departure froze her joints. His black eyes turned grave, staring into her stiff body at her writhing heart. He would offer his condolences as long as Raven remained focused on their goal. "I will have to relocate you."

"We won't run!" Nanami said, turning to face Minotaur angrily. "We never run!"

"I know the team won't," Minotaur said, trying to calm her down. He gave her a steady, measuring look. "But _you_ will. Stop running from your past, Raven." When Nanami didn't answer, only gave him a hard look in return, he continued in a pitying voice, "Nanami is a name that doesn't fit you."

"It was for my protection," she whispered hoarsely. "Gabe-nii thought so."

"You can protect yourself just fine," Minotaur retorted at her foolishness. "Raven is your name as far as I'm concerned. Nanami or Naitsuusha, the choice is yours. Not your brother's. Gabriel is dead. Don't let ghosts decide for you."

Minotaur departed, his words tore apart the lie even further. Nanami stared at his retreating back until he walked too far to be seen. Gabriel told her their father was honest man who wanted to reform the justice system. But honesty couldn't win over bribery and someone paid for their deaths, masking it as a boating accident at the beach. Her fear of water was born then among the police and coastguards searching for her parents' bodies in the deep water.

Every time Minotaur visited, Nanami had to re-evaluate her life. The man was always like that, a pool of advice to accept or reject. Minotaur was wrong this time. Vengeance was everything. She needed to confront the man who killed Gabriel and settle things with Brad.

Nanami went home. Jade was in convalescence, secured in her bedroom. Kirei acted as her caregiver, dutifully following strict orders on the proper procedures to clean wounds, change bandages, administer medications, and a proper diet and rest regimen. Kirei shared Jade's room, sleeping on a futon. Nanami asked for privacy. Kirei left Nanami in the room.

Nanami took Jade's hands in her own again. She was healing slowly. Jade prided herself for never becoming sick during the flu season but when she did fall ill, she took the longest to recover. "You win some, you lose some," Jade always grumbled when she had a cold.

"Jade," Nanami said softly to the sleeping girl. "I never thanked you for saving me." Nanami pulled her chair closer towards the bed. "I know I didn't deserve it since I totally froze in the middle of the mission. I even broke the first rule of being an assassin…dropping my weapons. But I want you to know that I won't ever do it again. So just get better and we'll kick Schwarz's asses."

Nanami concluded her talk with a heavy heart, wondering if she was strong enough to make good on her words. But she must face him, especially after his attempted assassination of their team. Jade took the bullet meant for her. Nanami hated being helpless. She leaned back to watch the wall clock's minute hand tick off the day.

* * *

Hell held the real Fujimiya Aya's hospital file, checking the history of the sleeping girl. Aya stabilized after their hasty escape from the hospital. She was now in her new room, attached back to all the necessary machines to track her health. Tot played on the foot of the hospital bed with her plush rabbit, acting out stories for the purple haired girl to "hear" so she could dream it.

"Tot and Rabbi-chan are going to help you get better!" Tot said determinedly. "Tot likes you!" Hell smirked, laughing at the men of Weiß. Tot looked up at her with a questioning look in her eyes. "What is it, Hell?" Tot asked, standing up with Rabbi-chan in hand. "Do you like Tot's story?" Hell absentmindedly responded "yes" to her question. Tot went back to narrating her fairy tales.

Hell was lost in her thoughts, thinking about the man who called Neu "Asuka." _Schwarz killed Weiß?_ A scornful smile grew on her face. _What overconfident bastards!_ _Weiß_ _'s still alive! But I won't tell Eszet or Schwarz yet. Weiß is responsible for Masufumi's condition._ Her gaze fell on the comatose child. Tot's story became subdued under Hell's intense smirk. _I'm glad I chose this girl as the sacrifice. They'll be after us to take her back. We'll kill them. Then Eszet will see how Schwarz are the useless ones._

Hell went to double-check the security system. Schreient received too many ambushes from Weiß to be careless. Neu was in the room when Hell entered. Upon sight of her, Hell's mind began plotting a new trap against the man who obsessed over Neu.

* * *

Schwarz returned to their base, an estate paid by Eszet. Farfarello's makeshift cell had been converted from the basement by an addition of heavy-duty lock from the outside. His straightjacket dangled from a hook and chain wrapped around a sturdy metal beam.

Currently, Crawford was content to work on his personal assignment with Nagi's help. Nagi dutifully used his resources to unlock the encryptions of the cell phone he stole from Panther. They had limited time to do their traces before the fail-safe terminated the connection. "Crawford, what are you planning to do when you get this phone unlocked?" Nagi asked him, pausing in his work.

Crawford had an annoyed expression on his face. Nagi broke his concentration. "Nagi, you know exactly what I'm planning to do when I get all the information I need."

"You already killed Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß," Nagi pointed out, "This isn't Eszet's orders!"

"I know it isn't," Crawford said. "Nagi, there are things that you can't understand yet. The information I need is relevant to Schwarz. Stop asking questions. Will you get back to work to find the other lines?"

Nagi gave up under Crawford's stern look. They already located one man involved with Chimera's organization. Nagi's brilliance traced his phone within hours. But the other pathways were more difficult. However, Schwarz worked well under pressure. Soon they would have Chimera at their mercy.


	29. Mission 07 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 07 Spiegel – Mirror (Reflected Soul)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 04-07-04

* * *

Nanami was woken up by someone holding onto her hand tightly. She opened her eyes meet Jade's concerned eyes. Jade gave her a weak smile and released her hand. "You look tired," Jade whispered hoarsely. "Go back to your own room."

"I can't believe you're telling me what to do," Nanami joked. "You're such a mother hen."

"Stop calling me that," Jade ordered, mildly amused. "I don't need two nurses. Kirei is doing fine as it is. I'm sleeping twenty hours a day."

"I wan-wanted to say," Nanami started off but Jade silenced her with a small shake of her head.

"It's okay," Jade said. "I heard the first time."

"I'm still sorry," Nanami said meekly. "Because I know it's my fault that everything happened the way it did."

Jade felt the need to confess about Crawford, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" Nanami asked her.

Jade averted her eyes guiltily. "I met Brad at the Jigen party. I didn't know he was your...brother. But I knew he was dangerous. And then that day I saw Schuldig outside of Koneko No Sume Ie, I met Brad again. Schuldig's attack weakened me. Brad took care of me until I came home. But he didn't kill me then. So I'm confused..."

"Jade, I think," Nanami paused, it was hard to say his name. "…Brad probably wanted information about us."

"I know that now. But he took good care of me," Jade said. Uncertainty entered her mind. _He took_ really _good care of me despite his bastardly ways._ Brad Crawford hadn't made their lives easy since their meeting. Nobody knew what he wanted. He hid everything behind those thin glasses, a shield over his face and thoughts.

"Are you defending him?" Nanami was shocked.

"Fuck no!" Jade said, outraged at the thought. "I hate him!" Nanami gave her a hurt look and Jade's eyes softened. "I mean, you're my best friend. Family like him doesn't matter." From the worsening expression on Nanami's face, Jade knew she said the wrong thing. Jade winced, chastised. "I'm sorry. It didn't come out the right way."

"I need to settle things with him," Nanami said softly but steadily. "I need to know why and how much he knows about me."

"What about Karmesinrot Rache?" Jade asked, shocked. "You're not thinking of leaving us, are you?" Would Chimera even allow that? None of the girls ever thought about it.

"I'm not leaving the team," Nanami answered quickly. She pulled away. She couldn't meet Jade's gaze. She was too afraid of her leader's answer even though she wasn't asking. "I just need to do this too."

Jade's mouth twitched, somewhere between a frown and a smile. Meeting Brad Crawford put more questions in her life than she thought possible. If her friend didn't find the answers to those countless questions, she wouldn't be able to concentrate. She would be a liability to the team. "I understand," Jade replied finally. "I'll help any way I can."

"I know," Nanami responded with a tiny smile. A knock on the door drew their attention. Kirei and Kayla walked into the room. Kirei bore a dinner tray in her hands. _Those two are taking care of us._ Nanami smiled fondly at the younger girls. She needed to thank them for overseeing the household and most importantly, the team.

"Can we come in?" Kayla, the braver one, asked. Kirei lingered behind her slightly taller friend, balancing the heavy tray perfectly.

"Of course," Jade answered, weakly gesturing to the empty space around her bed. Kirei brought the tray to the desk before she helped Jade shift her body to a seated position.

Jade slowly ate the meal with three pairs of eyes on her. She placed her spoon in the bowl. "Can you not watch me eat?" she asked bluntly. It made her self-conscious. Kayla chuckled and Kirei giggled.

"Nanami." Kirei stopped, covering her mouth. Nanami looked at her. From the expression of solemn curiosity, Nanami knew what she wanted to know.

"Go ahead," she whispered in a strained voice.

"Why didn't you trust us enough to tell us your real name?" Kirei asked gently. It was a sacred question. She didn't want Nanami to shut them out anymore. Nanami was her mentor. The others knew about Kirei's prosthetics but Nanami was the first to embrace the girl's unique structure without prejudice.

Nanami gave her a depressed look, one also full of hunger for the truth. "I've almost forgotten it was even my name," she admitted.

"I think the person who named you must have been really special and loving to give you the name Naitsuusha," Kirei said earnestly. "Can we call you by your real name? Can we call you Naitsuusha or…Tsuu?"

The question struck her hard. Her mother gave the name, hoping her first daughter would be someone different, someone destined to change the world for the better like her father. She grasped the past to sort the lies from the truths. She replied in a pained voice, "It's about time I stopped living a lie." A more sincere smile stole across her face. "I like…Tsuu." The chain holding her memories captive broke its first link.

"Tsuu," Kayla began calmly, "are you feeling better?"

"I'm taking the news one day at a time," Nanami—now Naitsuusha admitted tentatively. "But don't worry about me."

At her words, everyone looked at Jade expectantly. Swiftly, Jade hid the troubled look on her face under a strained mask of exaggerated impatience. "I'm fine," she growled, sounding almost normal. "I'm done. There's no use in trying to eat when everyone's staring," she said irritably. She placed the bowl on the adjacent table to hide her trembling hands. Kirei and Naitsuusha exchanged concerned glances. It wasn't the first time Jade was relieved she was the only telepathist because like the others, she wanted her skeletons to remain in the closet…or smashed to dust since it was safer that way.

Kirei pouted suddenly, slender finger pointing to the half-full bowl. "It makes me worry more when you don't eat!"

"I'm finished," Jade said forcefully. "Once I heal, we'll be able to take missions again," The girls worked best with a full team but they could do things as they were if need be.

"What do you think about Weiß?" asked Kayla, shifting into a better position on the ground. "Fujimiya Aya was kidnapped."

"That's their problem," Jade said out of habit. She didn't like Weiß and she wasn't about to go help them when she had other things to do. "We have our own priorities."

"But I feel bad," Kayla said, turning slightly to face Naitsuusha. "I know you do even though you try to hide it."

"I don't feel bad about anything concerning Weiß," scoffed Naitsuusha, turning back into her usual self. "The only way I'd help Weiß get Abyssinian's sister back is if Chimera ordered it." She paused and then amended her words. "No, that won't work either. I'll help when Abyssinian _politely_ asks me for my assistance...which will _never_ happen knowing him."

"How well _do_ you know him?" Kirei teased slyly.

"Not well enough like you girls know Bombay and Siberian, you traitors," Naitsuusha replied crossly. The two younger girls made faces at her words. Getting to her feet to prevent further discussions about florist/assassins, Naitsuusha ushered the younger girls out. "Now Kirei, you go back to your own room and sleep," she ordered. "You look like you need it more than me."

Kirei obeyed, going to nap in comfort before she returned to her futon beside Jade's bed for the night. _Just a few days_ , Naitsuusha thought in the hallway outside of Jade's bedroom door, gripping her past tightly. _That's all I need to find Brad again._

Jade listened to Naitsuusha's departing footsteps with relief. Jade couldn't go back to sleep after her conversation with her friend about Brad and Schwarz. She wondered if Karmesinrot Rache would receive orders to go against the powerful team. Jade remembered Schuldig's mind from their private battle. She recalled the murders he participated in while in service to Eszet. Jade wondered what part of her memory he managed to see. They were all killers with secrets. Jade felt incredibly vulnerable to have a part of her mind stolen away.

"Fucking Schwarz," Jade growled. She knew for a fact now she hated them more than she hated Weiß. She closed her eyes and tried to sleep, however fitful it may be.

* * *

Merache was not above drumming his fingers impatiently on the clean tablecloth. He waited at a table reserved for two men for a business meeting. The second party insisted to see him at his earliest convenience. It didn't help that the man, Tokizo Masaya, was over twenty minutes late, a factor plus a busy week at the office and other unethical places contributing to Merache's dour mood.

Merache sipped a glass of chardonnay freely, killing time until he saw Tokizo being led to his table by a waiter. Tokizo sat, apologizing for his tardiness. Merache waved it off. "What is so important that we can't talk over the phone, Tokizo-san?" Merache wanted to know.

"I wanted to talk about Reiji-san's old position as Prime Minister," Tokizo admitted, sensing the foreigner was not prepared to stay longer than five minutes at most. "I was wondering if you heard of anyone who was interested in filling his shoes."

"I haven't been paying attention to anything on the political front of late," said Merache bluntly. He drained half of his drink to help suppress a glower and then replied, "I've been preoccupied with other business."

"I see," said Tokizo, deeply disappointed. "Are you planning on supporting a new candidate for office?"

"I see no one worth supporting," Merache said while looking directly at Tokizo. "If this is everything you wanted to say to me, I need to return home. I still have some work to do."

"I thank you for your time," Tokizo said coldly as Merache stood.

The black haired American looked down at Tokizo, meeting that glacial stare without flinching. "You forgot what I said before," he said curtly. "We are not friends and we are not enemies."

"I understand, Merache-san." Tokizo stood to bow to the man. Merache bowed to him in return before he strode out of the restaurant towards his car. Tokizo turned to the menu and read the entrees listed without registering the names of the dishes. Another man with blonde hair and sea-green eyes joined Tokizo at his table when Merache left the restaurant floor. Tokizo looked up at his subordinate.

Harrison reported, "He despises you."

"The feeling is mutual," Tokizo said in disgust. "But he can influence the swing votes."

"We can find other ways for financial support," Harrison suggested. "There are others in Japan who would help you gain what you desire."

"You're a bodyguard. Who do you know that would help me?" Tokizo asked suspiciously. Harrison looked at him calmly after he removed his sunglasses to look into Tokizo's eyes.

"You should trust me," he urged the politician in a strong firm voice. "I am helping you."

Tokizo blinked like he just remembered something, He nodded finally. "I trust you."

Harrison smiled grimly and replaced his sunglasses on his face. "Then let us return back to your house. I have news about Schreient you will be interested in."

Harrison waited for his charge to stand up. He led his employer to his waiting car. After they were seated comfortably in luxury, Harrison studied his employer. Tokizo was very docile now. It was a state Harrison liked his puppets to be. After Harrison implanted the feeling of trust into his mind, Harrison knew Tokizo would be beneficial to keep alive in order to unfold the next step of Eszet's plans.

Schreient succeeded in getting Eszet their Kundalini sacrifice. Harrison already received a request for funding for Schreient's laboratory where they would house the sacrifice. Harrison planned on removing the money from Tokizo's banks. Eszet had billions at their disposal but since Tokizo worked for Eszet, whether he knew it or not, his money was Eszet's money.

The drive back to Tokizo's mansion in the secluded town of Morioka took about two hours. Harrison was not bored during the quiet trip as he spent his time planning the next stage for Eszet to succeed the world as its God. When they finally arrived, Harrison stepped out first to ensure the estate was in order. He turned back to Tokizo who was almost back to his usual self. "It is late, Tokizo-san," Harrison said. "You should go inside. I will get the security guards to lock up for the night."

"That is a good idea," Masaya agreed wholeheartedly, climbing out of the car. Harrison witnessed the front gates locking together before he travelled to his office.

The mansion was modeled after the great manors of England. Lacking the rolling expanses of the moors, Masaya made bought the surrounding homes and demolished them. The money was not spent needlessly in his opinion to build a humble home to his liking after being impressed by the English countryside. Tall black wrought-iron gates fenced in the lands, propping cameras and securing lasers on its bars. The manicured green lawn stretched from the gates to the base of the house.

Harrison lived with his employer, learning of and then controlling his businesses on Eszet's orders. Schwarz did the same with Takatori Reiji. Tokizo was not deemed important enough for a full team of bodyguards until now. Harrison smiled at a well-dressed woman standing stiffly in his office because it was not a social visit or a pleasant experience to be there.

"Hell-san," Harrison said graciously as he walked towards her. He ignored her aloof manner.

"We did not receive the funds yet," Hell said angrily. "Your secretary would not forward my calls to you. I don't understand why he wouldn't."

"He is not Eszet's secretary but Tokizo's," Harrison explained. "I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused you."

"Just pay us and any inconvenience will be forgotten," Hell said impatiently. "I have the laboratory set up for Eszet like they wanted but I refuse to work as bodyguards for Tokizo."

"Why not?" Harrison asked even though he knew the answer. He suspected they were still strongly allied to their old master. He was right.

"We will only protect Takatori Masufumi," said Hell forcefully. "Tokizo can die for all we care."

"The same applies to Takatori's son," Harrison said evenly. "But Eszet ordered your team to work for Tokizo now."

"I won't do it," Hell said, shaking her head. "You can't threaten me with killing Masufumi either. We have the sacrifice!"

"I understand," Harrison said soothingly after he removed his sunglasses for the second time that evening. His forest green eyes met Hell's bright emerald eyes. He held them while he spoke in a strong firm voice. Hell wavered, her mind being filled with Harrison's patronizing words. "But if you would reconsider, I would be eternally grateful for your assistance. Perhaps you can send two ladies here instead of all four?"

Hell stood still without blinking until Harrison looked away, breaking his hold over her. "Yes. I can send Neu and Schön tomorrow morning."

"Thank you for your cooperation," Harrison said. "Then tomorrow I will have rooms arranged for the both of them. Now please, good night." Hell turned to leave, feeling strangely calm and dazed. "Please allow Hell-san to leave without any disturbances and escort her to the gate," Harrison ordered one of the guards using his desk phone.

He sent Hell her damned money. He greatly enjoyed being an empath. His mind, his voice, and his eyes were his prized tools to use against his enemies. Harrison could bend anyone's will with a spoken word, turning them from enemies into allies. It helped greatly with interrogations. Eszet's men discovered him in his youth and he worked for them since one did not have the option to refuse. Eventually, he agreed with Eszet's methodology about how the world should be entrusted into their care.

* * *

Christopher Merache just received sad news. Takatori Shuuichi was dead. The Chief of Police perished in the burning Jigen building along with his older brother, Reiji. Whatever transpired between the two brothers died with them. He rubbed his temples and sighed heavily, taking comfort in the silence of his home where no one made any demands on him. Merache had known the righteous man for a few hours but he was still grief-stricken.

Taking his hands away from his temples, he pulled the stack of photographs on his desk closer to his face. The pile showcased a variety of events and places with only one thing in common: he suspected each one had a member of Karmesinrot Rache in it. He stared at the photograph of a young violinist with a short black bob haircut and round glasses in a backless, black dress. The image was stolen from a camera at Takatori Reiji's fundraising party. Yamada Michiko was the name she gave to the band but he suspected she was "one of his daughters."

Merache wasn't a stupid man. The amount of trust given to him only added up to just enough so he would remain silent and loyal. However, Merache wasn't a traitor either. He _was_ loyal to the cause of Chimera's network but he did have questions as the public face of Chimera's enterprise.

"So what is your real name, my dear Michiko?" murmured Merache as he studied the disguised Panther. "Where would you be at this moment with your sisters?"

The file contained everything he knew about Karmesinrot Rache. One particular file took him the most effort to steal a copy without being caught. Lost lives, traded favors, and money passed through unknown hands resulted in the success of "Project Revolution." It was Chimera's personal project in the United States. Merache pressed his lips together in irritation at the situation. He was unable to decipher the information on the disc without help. He dared not to let anyone handle such delicate information. Project Revolution made Karmesinrot Rache the deadly force it was.

* * *

Brad Crawford haunted her, taking her into his world. She walked towards him, fascination tainting her heart, breaking her into brittle woke up, snarling in anger at her traitorous subconscious. That was the sixth dream with Brad _fucking_ Crawford in it. She flung her blankets off, trying to cool down in the sweltering room. She leaked her thoughts all over the place. How many people in Tokyo could sense her fears? The possibility was terrifying. Her neighbors' mental monologues slammed unyielding against her shields. The strength used to hold her psyche intact stole the energy needed to heal of her body.

"What is wrong with me?" she asked the world in disgust. She turned around, causing the bed to creak under her moving weight until she was flat on her back again. She couldn't sleep in any position for long because of her wound. She hated staying in bed. She was becoming more restless with each passing hour. She wanted to walk, to run, and to _fight_ in a mission.

 _How many days has it been since Persia died?_ Jade asked herself. _Where's Chimera with our next mission so we could stop babysitting_ _Weiß?_ _I want to fight Schwarz and let them see how fun it is to be shot in the gut._

Jade placed a hand on her wound and pressed it gently. Jade knew she lost weight. Kirei scolded her every time she left more than half of her meal untouched. _I don't know what I'll do without Kayla and Kirei,_ Jade thought, grateful for the two younger girls' assistance around the house.

Naitsuusha searched for any scrap of information about Tokizo Masaya. It was extremely easy since she knew his name and his prominent career; she was able to find his home address. It was in Morioka. Naitsuusha scanned a list of his permanent employees. Naitsuusha didn't recognize the name of Kyle Harrison. He was appointed to protect Tokizo Masaya by unknown sources.

Naitsuusha researched his financials next and was shocked to see a hefty transaction. She traced it to unmarked expense account. It was suspicious but not uncommon for a man who dealt with the criminal underground. She put it off for later, turning back to Tokizo's funds to find more oddities similar to her previous discovery.

Her mind drifted to the circumstances leading to seeing Crawford after so many years. After her meeting, fragments of memories surfaced but they confused her because she didn't know if there were of Brad or Gabriel. Had she ever been close to Brad at all?  
 _  
Schwarz and_ _Weiß_. _What fun_ , she thought with a bitter taste in her mouth. _Kirei and Kayla are close to those Weiß boys too. That's just so…wrong._ She rested her eyes from the glare of the computer monitor. _What do they see in them? I bet Tsukiyono has been drugging her lunch at school!_ The thought was truth in her eyes. _I hoped Kayla would have chosen someone else who's not well,_ Ken. _And Fujimiya! Oh wait a minute…why in Hell am I thinking of him?_ The glares he gave her since his little sister's kidnapping included a different kind of determination. They each lived to avenge someone close to their hearts. She reminisced wistfully on her younger years with Gabriel. _I guess Fujimiya's the same way with his little sister. He's a good brother despite his public mask of a human iceberg._ Naitsuusha sat up straighter, trying to shove the violet eyed assassin from her mind. She locked her eyes back on the screen. It was much safer than thinking about Fujimiya Ran.


	30. Mission 08 Grausen - Horror

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 08 Grausen - Horror (Tainted Trust)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-16-04

* * *

A white BMW sedan crawled along a packed Japanese highway, a metal cage to two occupants. An astute observer with an eye for detail would notice a peculiar trademark of the white car alluding to its origins. It popped out like a red flower in a dead bed of grass. For most of the cars in Tokyo, the steering wheel was on the right side but Crawford imported a car from outside of Japan for his own comfort. Having the steering wheel on the left side of the car was as close as being in the United States while driving.

Morning rush hour traffic in Tokyo could not be avoided like in all metropolitan cities but Crawford knew they would not be late for a very important meeting with the three heads of Japan's Eszet. He planned out his day accordingly to compensate for this traffic jam in order to meet Eszet at their secluded mountain manor on time. Not only did Crawford compensate for traffic, he also compensated for Schuldig in the front seat.

Schuldig began to take more personal nights after Schwarz successfully got rid of their competition. Crawford also knew Schuldig was trying to read his mind. He could sense Schuldig's prying like feathery fingers across his temples. Schuldig was seeing how far he could go before Crawford said something about it. So Crawford did.

"What is it, Schuldig?" Crawford asked while keeping his eyes on the road even though the cars around him were not moving.

Schuldig yawned in reply, basking in the sunlight with his sunglasses over his eyes. He rested his arm on the side on the window, drumming his fingers lightly against the plastic in a beat from a song he heard last night. He slouched, ignoring the wrinkles in his clothes. The traffic crawled onwards for the last twenty minutes. He was bored by the lack of conversation and entertainment in Crawford's pristine car. Crawford owned his car for years but it still had that new car smell in it. The supple leather and smooth fabric of the seats were flawless without stains or tears.

Schuldig was tempted to spill his bottled water over the seat just to see what would happen. _He doesn't even have any CDs in here_ , Schuldig thought, feeling his boredom was completely justifiable. _Not one tape or CD. No air freshener and definitely nothing hanging from his rearview mirror. The outside of this car is spotless!_ Schuldig scoffed at the cleanliness of the car. His thoughts traveled to their commitment to Eszet.

"Why do we bother?" Schuldig spoke the question on his mind finally, facing Crawford because normal people looked at each other when they talked. Crawford wasn't normal because he still stared straight ahead. "We all know we're more powerful than Eszet. So why are we playing like we're not?"

"It's called timing," Crawford repeated the same answer whenever Schuldig asked the same question. "The Kundalini experiment would be Schreient's opportunity to win back Masufumi. While Eszet is blinded with joy from Schreient's success, their eyes would not see our move."

"Eszet is never blind," Schuldig commented. He still harbored some respect for the three's powers even though they were inferior to them. "They're not Eszet if they can't see betrayal in the making."

"Eszet is human despite the farce they put up to be gods," Crawford responded scornfully. "Chaos will be born in the ceremony for order. We will bring it."

Schuldig stayed silent. He knew Crawford planned something bigger than even he could comprehend. Schuldig didn't really need to comprehend it. All Schuldig cared about was being on the winning side. His mind drifted to Nagi who was cooped up at their mansion for days. Nagi tended to mope around the place when he wasn't on his computer.

"We need to keep an eye on Nagi. I think that Tot girl is starting to make him lose his sense of priority."

Crawford actually chuckled at Schuldig's words. Schuldig turned to give Crawford a shocked look when he heard the sound. It was almost as rare as Crawford smiling genuinely! "You are the last person allowed to talk about priority when it comes to women," Crawford said to him, smirking slightly.

"But I'm more experienced, Crawford," Schuldig said defensively, sitting up straight. "I could tell which woman's not trying to kill me."

"You _like_ women that try to kill you," Crawford said dryly. "I'm sure you enjoyed your performance with Panther."

"I might have," Schuldig smirked. There were some things about her mind that was very intriguing. He wondered if she wasn't dead, would she be dreaming of his life? Of being beside Crawford on his quest to destroy their allegiance to Eszet or die trying and being sent into that infinite blackness worse than Hell?

But they must get back to Nagi. Nagi could be in trouble if he got involved with Tot of Schreient. Schuldig raised his hand to gesture as he sought the right words to describe Nagi's current situation. "Nagi's very innocent to fall for that idiot Tot."

"Don't even think about corrupting him," Crawford said, knowing Schuldig to sense that was his next train of thought.

"You would accuse me of such a thing?" Schuldig smirked guiltily. "You know me too well."

"Yes I do," Crawford replied as the traffic began to move at the normal rate. "I also know Farfarello and Nagi well. That is the reason why I'm the leader of Schwarz."

"I thought the reason that you were the leader was that you're a cold calculating machine," Schuldig commented.

"There's nothing wrong with being efficient, Schuldig," Crawford said curtly. "Some of us have to make up for the slack of others."

Schuldig laughed in amusement. There was no point in arguing with Schuldig so early in the day. It would cause a delay his plans and throw things off. Crawford couldn't have that. The two reached Eszet's manor on time. It was exactly as Brad Crawford planned it to be.

* * *

Yohji was impressed with Aya's progress since his release from Magicbus Hospital. He walked almost normally now. Before Aya improved to this extent, Yohji discovered Aya's legs swelled from his forced exertions. The others firmly demanded Aya use his wheelchair more often, telling him he was slowing his healing process if he went against the doctor's orders. The four males also cut the hours of the flower store by closing early so their usual customers begrudgingly went elsewhere to pray for decent weather.

Aya rested in his wheelchair in the living room with a book in his hands. He was rereading Ludwig Wittgenstein's _Tractatus Logico Philosophicus,_ a philosophy book. It was from an old friend, Shirasagi Reiichi, as a farewell present from his departure as Crashers' Rook. Aya found it hard to focus on the translated text. He was edgy because Manx had no updates. Every time the bell jingled to announce a customer instead of Manx, Aya looked like he wanted to murder the unfortunate arrival for being the wrong person.

Yohji checked his watch as he sipped his coffee in the kitchen. The old coffee left a bitter taste in his mouth after each swallow but Yohji was too lazy to make a fresh pot when he was the only one drinking it. It was a group effort to clean up the apartment after the ordeal at the Jigen building. Omi would be at school for another four hours before he would return to the store. The shop would be closed by the time the high schools dismissed their students, hence preventing the mobs from taking over.

According to Omi, Kirei was absent because of personal reasons. Rumors floated around the class about her sudden disappearance. Yohji went to relieve Ken from his morning shift. Yohji entered the store from the back only to gape at the sight of Ken being hugged by an overexcited middle-aged woman with curly brown hair. Ken's face was as red as the foreign woman's lipstick.

"Ken!" Yohji was shocked to the roots of his hair. The heavy-set woman was old enough to be Ken's mother! Ken was finally released from the woman's strangling hug. She walked away happily. Ken returned indoors, rubbing his aching neck. "Ken, who was _that_?" Yohji was curious, trying to gauge Ken's reaction to the massive hug.

"A woman named Ruth," Ken answered Yohji, sounding embarrassed for being seen in such a situation. "I promised to give her an extra discount on her purchase and to deliver them to her church this afternoon."

"Most customers don't thank a man that way," Yohji remarked thoughtfully. "But I wouldn't mind being pressed against a woman's chest." Yohji was almost envious of Ken. Sure, the girls liked a playboy but some did go for the boy-next-door type. "You should have enjoyed it more!" Yohji snickered at the sight of Ken flailing his arms against the woman's tight hold when she pressed his head against her ample chest.

Ken flushed tomato red again and then glared at Yohji darkly. "I'm going to work on her order in the back room," Ken said grumpily, stalking off before Yohji could tease him again. "It's your turn to handle the sales in the front." Ken disappeared to prepare the woman's purchases while Yohji happily took over for his afternoon shift.

Yohji played with the cigarette in his hands, rolling the white cylinder between his fingers. He wondered if he would get a lucky break like Ken. _But with a different younger woman_ , Yohji amended in his head as he stuck the cigarette in his mouth. He sat down behind the register and turned on the small television, hoping to catch an interesting program to kill time until a customer came.

* * *

Kayla stood in the middle of Naitsuusha's bedroom with the older girl towering over her. Naitsuusha waited for the end of Kayla's lecture on their mission orders. When Kayla finally took a breath, Naitsuusha seized the chance to speak before Kayla could start again. "Your vision saw him in a room full of dead bodies in a church. He's not injured at all!" Naitsuusha recapped Kayla's vision. She was trying hard to keep her voice from sounding impatient.

"But what if he's attacked?" Kayla asked her worriedly. "What if he dies? We're still on orders to protect Weiß!"

"Siberian is fine," Naitsuusha said bluntly. "He walked away from it without injuries!"

"Tsuu, can't we just go and back him up?" Kayla begged her friend. "I'll never be able to live with myself!" She was concerned about Ken's safety after her vision had shown him walking into Saint Anselm's Cathedral where he found a group of priests dead, covered in their own congealed blood. Pools of acid scarred the floors. He dropped his delivery of flowers as he stood over the dead bodies. He looked around, calling the name "Ruth" before he left the church in Aya's white Porsche. Even Kayla had no idea who committed the gruesome crime. "Can you take me to Koneko No Sume Ie?" Kayla asked Naitsuusha. She continued to ask Naitsuusha about it until she gave in.

"I'll take you," Naitsuusha caved when she saw Kayla's brimming brown eyes. Kayla kept silent, letting her teary eyes do all the pleading. "I'll take you to their store. But I'm telling you, it's a waste of time when Siberian survives."

"Thank you, Tsuu," Kayla said happily, her tears immediately vanishing to be replaced by a bright smile. "You don't know how much this means to me."

 _I have got to stop falling for that_ , Naitsuusha thought in mild amusement. _Kirei has been giving Kayla acting lessons._ "Yes I do," said Naitsuusha. "That's why I agreed. You just need to promise me to stop pulling that trick on me."

"What trick?" Kayla asked innocently. "It's just we're on orders," Kayla explained hurriedly in response to Naitsuusha's ire. "I don't want to underestimate the situation."

"Don't try to mask your relationship by calling it orders from Chimera," said Naitsuusha crossly. "Just be honest about it and I'll respect it more."

"Tsuu, you know Weiß is trying to save Fujimiya's little sister, right?" Kayla asked, following quickly as they entered the garage. Naitsuusha nodded sullenly in reply. "Don't you think we should help them?"

Naitsuusha fought down the guilt of her failure. _I remember the look in his eyes. I'm the last person he wants help from. He thinks it's my fault. Maybe he's right but I tried that night to save his sister. He can't accept it. No, he_ won't _accept it._ Naitsuusha cursed when she realized that she valued Aya's opinion. _Since when did I care what Fujimiya thinks?_ Then Naitsuusha frowned at the truth of Kayla's words.

Karmesinrot Rache took pride in completing every single mission without fail until they met the men of Weiß. Perhaps it was time to redeem the value of their name and reputation. But it meant working with Weiß to rescue the real Fujimiya Aya from those women. Naitsuusha bared her teeth at the thought.

* * *

A familiar stench met Ken's nose when he entered the church from the back. It smelled like rotten compost. Ken hoped it was compost for his flowers. But his rational mind told his flowers were already cut, not for planting. As he walked in further, his brown shoes touched a patch of melted red carpet. He reached down to inspect it closer. A nagging voice in his mind told him not to touch the carpet with his bare hands. He obeyed by straightening up. Ken walked into the rear lobby in small tentative steps. His instinct, honed sharp as an assassin, told him he must be cautious.

The first sign of trouble met his eyes inside the rear lobby. A pile of Bibles had been turned into a pile of white and brown pulp on the reception desk. _Is the smell coming from that?_ Ken's eyes began to water from the fumes rising from the destroyed Bibles. He blinked away his tears and wrinkled his nose at the smell. It changed from rotten compost to something more repugnant, smelling more like decayed meat.

"Ruth-san?" Ken called out, tasting phlegm in his mouth from the odors. "Ruth-san? I have your flowers from Koneko No Sume Ie!" A fizzing noise made Ken turn towards an open door. Ken walked through it with the flowers in his hands. He stopped walking with a jolt and lost hold of the bouquets. The flowers fell from his stiff fingers to land on the floor beside a corpse in a white robe.

Ken felt sick to his stomach. A man lay on his side. His eyes were pools of fleshy liquid. Ken didn't want to go in any further. He'd seen enough to know everyone was dead. "Ruth-san?" Ken called out again but none of the bodies were Ruth's height and build. Ken ran from the room, feeling concern for his client.

Farfarello allowed enough time for the white Porsche to drive away before stepping out from behind the green drapes decorating the stage at the front of the church. He was too late to catch up to the woman named Ruth. She already moved on to another church, brandishing his family's heirloom. But his sense of timing allowed him to see something none of Schwarz thought was possible. A member of Weiß was still alive. Siberian was looking for the same person he was. Farfarello smiled widely, showing short needles between two rows of white teeth. The feeling of the joy of the hunt was born once more in his animalistic heart.

 _The defeat of Weiß using Crawford's methods failed. I should use mine. Karmesinrot Rache…they could still be alive._ Only one person of Schwarz would have information about how to find the survivors of both teams. Farfarello needed information from Nagi.

* * *

Jade sat on the edge of the bathtub, facing outwards toward the closed door. She was cradling her head in her hands with a towel around her body. Her damp black and green hair hung in front of her face like a glossy curtain, dripping cold water onto her skin. _The only one who knows of this pain is Schuldig and I don't expect to find sympathy from him_ , thought Jade bitterly. The sensation of a thousand needles threading through her neural matter was the only way to describe it. Even if she was sleeping, she could feel the torturous thoughts. It reached the point of being physical, the sensation of thoughts touching her skin and compressing her.

"Jade?" asked Kirei worriedly. She allowed Jade to take an extra long time with her wound but she had been in there for over thirty minutes.

Jade's tired reply came, "I'll be out in another ten minutes."

"Take your time," said Kirei from in the hall. "I'll be nearby in case you need me."

Jade discarded the towel for her clothes. She painstakingly dressed, pausing often to rest her body by leaning against the wall or sitting down. Finally garbed in a light blue shirt and black fleece pants, she staggered towards the door to open it in time to meet Kirei's frantic eyes.

"Are you feeling okay?" she asked, rushed.

Jade nodded. She hated her bedroom. Her bed felt like a prison. She avoided it while she was awake. _It's so stifling_ , Jade thought wearily. _I can't stay in here any longer._ Before she could make an attempt to escape her home, she sensed the return of her team.

Determined to meet them in the living room with Kirei leading the way in case she fell down the stairs, Jade made the journey without assistance. Naitsuusha appeared at the foot of the stairs with a wry smile. "Jade must be going crazy."

"Just a bit," Kirei responded.

"Yes, do make fun of the injured one," said Jade sourly. Kirei chuckled, taking a step further from the swordswoman since she was within arms length. "Where were you two?"

Kayla gave Jade a guilty look. "We went after Ken since I Saw him in danger."

Jade made a face. Naitsuusha quickly spoke for her friend's benefit. "He wasn't in actual danger and neither were we. We discovered a murder scene. Someone really hates Catholics."

"That's not our problem," Jade retorted. "Yet," she amended when Kayla stared dumbfound at her harsh words. "Chimera hasn't assigned the mission yet so we can't go raising Hell about it."

Kayla raised a tentative question, sensing it was now or never. "Tsuu and I were discussing whether to assist Weiß," said Kayla. "If they are determined to find Fujimiya's sister, I think their cause is just."

Jade blinked. "You're stretching it," she commented about Chimera's orders. "We were to protect Weiß, not do search and rescue."

Kirei stood up, eyes blazing. "Do you hate them that much, Jade?" She wanted to know. "Every time we get anything relating to Weiß, you toss it aside like, like garbage!"

Jade was stunned. But still, she easily found a reply, "Why would we do something as stupid as that?"

"Because it's the right thing to do," Kayla replied calmly, breaking into their argument. "We can't abandon them to fight alone after everything that's happened."

"Did everyone just commit mutiny on me?" Jade complained, feeling a headache coming on from the thought. She could barely stand protecting Weiß. Now they had to work _with_ them?

"We thought you were becoming too mentally unstable to lead," said Naitsuusha, smiling sadistically. Naitsuusha's word could have made things worse but Jade took them without offense because Naitsuusha's personality was no less abrasive than hers at times.

"It's not always so clear cut, Jade," Kirei sighed. "Sure, the new order overrides the old one but we should still help Weiß out. Kayla's right, you know. It's the right thing to do. We gain allies in the process."

"I can see I'm outnumbered again. I just can't believe Tsuu is going along with this!" stormed Jade. She stood up with a glower on her face. Her footsteps were heavy when she went up the stairs. A lesser person would have called it stomping. "Someone save me from the ideals of my team," Jade muttered, stopping on the stairs. Her gaze traveled from the hopeful face of Kirei to the determined face of Kayla and finally stopping on Naitsuusha's expectant one. Naitsuusha knew her answer. "Fine," she finally admitted defeat before she returned to her comfortable prison of a bedroom.

Kirei glanced at Kayla after Jade departed. Kirei allowed the grin she worked so hard to suppress to surface on her face. "It's funny how she always has to get the last word in when we are talking about Weiß."

Kayla giggled, nodding her agreement. She noticed that too. "I think she likes them but doesn't want to admit it."

"Maybe this mission will change her outlook on them," hoped Kirei. "Chimera wouldn't have assigned us to protect Weiß if they were evil."

Naitsuusha left the girls to ensure Jade was safe in her bedroom. She found her leader standing in front of the window, gazing at its solid curtains. "I can hear them," Jade began moodily. "I can't see them. But I can hear them."

"You hate it."

"Yeah, I do." Jade turned to face Naitsuusha, moody thoughts replaced by more pressing alliances. "We must get things exactly right," she told Naitsuusha in steady voice. "If everyone is serious about helping Fujimiya find his sister, there cannot be any mistakes."

"I'll work on the mission plan." Naitsuusha offered.

"We can't mess up again."

"We need to tell them." By them, Naitsuusha meant their new allies.

Jade hung her head. She would have to face Yohji after those blissful days of not speaking to him. Already she cried injustice. "I want to drive," she said firmly after a moment of thinking. That way she could make a quick getaway if Yohji get too aggravating.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Naitsuusha stared at Jade's hidden wounds. The clothes she wore were easy to put on and take off because her energy had been low. To drive would take an enormous amount of concentration.

"It's an order."

"That's a low blow," Naitsuusha retorted but she lost the battle. Soon, the four were on their way to Koneko No Sume Ie with Jade at the wheel of her Lexus and Naitsuusha clutching all the information she found on Schreient and Fujimiya Aya.


	31. Mission 08 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 08 Grausen - Horror (Tainted Trust)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-16-04

* * *

Omi was sweeping the floors of the front room while Aya checked over the store's inventory for the day when he saw a black Lexus pull up. Omi studied the car closely, feeling like something was about to happen. Aya came over beside him. His violet eyes scanned the car with a similar sense of foreboding.

Naitsuusha stepped out. Aya was taken back. Only pride prevented him from ordering Omi to lock up. Naitsuusha turned around to help Kayla out from the backseat. Naitsuusha led Kayla and Kirei towards the entrance of Koneko No Sume Ie.

"We're here to talk," said Naitsuusha, entering the store. Omi gave the group a look of surprise but gestured for them to follow him upstairs. When Aya didn't follow immediately, Naitsuusha turned to see him still looking at the car. "Jade will be in shortly," she said. "I have information about your sister."

Yohji remained in the back room to clean it. He was totally oblivious to what was happening outside. His immediate attention was drawn to the front store room when a female voice shouted, "Anyone in here?"

Yohji walked outside, wiping his hands on his apron. "Hello." Yohji smiled pleasantly as he recognized the girl with the black and green hair, wearing dark oval sunglasses. "Akikou Jade-san, was it?"

"You," Jade said dully when she saw him.

"Kudou Yohji at your service." Yohji bowed slightly.

"So wash my car," Jade replied icily. Yohji raised an eyebrow.

"One dinner and you got yourself a deal," Yohji replied playfully. Their last meeting had no effect on his treatment of her to Jade's annoyance.

"What the hell?" Jade sputtered, glaring at him through her sunglasses. If looks could kill, Jade's sunglasses would have shattered and Yohji would have dropped dead a hundred times over.

"What is your problem?" Yohji asked, getting mad. "Do you think you're too good for every guy that comes along and tries to compliment you?"

"No, that's where you're wrong," Jade answered coolly. "I don't think, I _know_ I'm too good for every guy that comes along." Jade hissed.

"I saved your life!" Yohji shouted, body heaving in the effort to not throttle the girl senseless. "Your _life_!"

"Who asked you to?!" Jade snapped.

"I shouldn't have wasted my time on you!"

"Look, I'm in no mood to deal with you today," said Jade curtly. "Considering I'm standing as a guest in your store and wondering where my team is, perhaps you could tell me where they are."

Kayla, Kirei, and Naitsuusha appeared almost immediately, drawn to their rather loud verbal battle. They entered to see Jade and Yohji glaring daggers at each other. "Jade!" Kirei squealed, waving Jade forward to the stairs leading the living room. "Upstairs!"

The sound of Ken's motorcycle parking near the back door stole Yohji's attention away from his guests. Ken entered from the back door, smack dab in the middle of the crowd. Kayla bounded over to him and started a rush of questions that left Ken staring at her with an open mouth.

"Kayla, you might want to let him answer before moving onto the next one," advised Naitsuusha . "You also need to breathe in between each word."

"Why are you here?" Ken wanted to know immediately.

"We were in the neighborhood," said Naitsuusha quickly before Kayla could tell them about her vision. There was no need to share unnecessary information like Kayla's and Jade's powers. "Kayla had a bad feeling about you so she convinced me to stop the car or she'd jump out the window to get to you."

"Tsuu!" whined Kayla. _She didn't know to say the last part! It makes me sound so psychotic_!

But Ken seemed pleased at the sight of Kayla. He gave Kayla's hand an appreciative squeeze. "Your feeling was right. There was a mass murder at Saint Anselm's," said Ken. He was disturbed by the scene of the acid burns on the faces of all the people in the church. He knew it was some sort of message but he didn't see anything to reveal what it had meant.

"It's been happening recently," said Aya from behind Naitsuusha. "It was on the news last night. This is the third occurrence."

"Ruth-san wasn't there so I don't know if she's alright or not," admitted Ken. "I'm worried for her. She was very pleasant towards me."

"That's an understatement," said Yohji in amusement. "If that was just 'pleasant,' I would kill to see 'true love.'"

"What is Kudou-san talking about?" Kayla asked, turning towards Ken in confusion. "Who's Ruth-san?"

"Ruth-san is Ken's client," Yohji elaborated with a wink. "He was delivering flowers to her church today."

"Yohji!" growled Ken as he rushed through the crowded hallway to stop Yohji's verbal jabs. Naitsuusha stepped to the side as Ken ran past her. "Stop it!"

Somehow along the way, Ken tripped over something and went sprawling into Yohji. Aya shook his head but didn't move to help the two up off the floor. Thankfully, it was a clean floor. Naitsuusha was smirking at the sight of Ken and Yohji on the floor in a tangle of arms and legs. Kayla was worried for their safety but Ken stood up without any bruises while Yohji searched the floor for his missing sunglasses.

"We'll have to deal with that serial killer another day when we get more information about him," said Naitsuusha thoughtfully.

"Let's all go upstairs," Jade advised. "I don't think we should discuss anything on the stairs of all places." Having no choice, everyone trooped into the living room and found various seats or stood. When everyone was settled, Jade took control. "Karmesinrot Rache is offering assistance on the research on the location of Schreient," she explained flatly.

Naitsuusha brought forward her files and held it in front of her. "This is what I have so far about your sister," she started off in a businesslike manner. "If you want it, you have to include Karmesinrot Rache in your mission plans."

A heavy silence resulted after her request. The other men kept quiet, knowing it was Aya's decision to accept Karmesinrot Rache's help or not. Aya's violet eyes focused on the folder. He had the urge to just snatch it. He wasn't above theft. The girls waited on his answer.

"Just tell me why," Aya requested of Jade, one leader to another.

"Because we can," Naitsuusha replied instead. She knew Aya's acceptance of their help must be handled delicately. This was the difference between Jade and Naitsuusha. Naitsuusha was a better diplomat using only words while Jade could force the hand of the other side to accept their help by using suggestive reasoning because of her telepathy. "I know you need it."

Aya held out his hand expectantly. Naitsuusha raised an eyebrow, folder hovering between them. "We'll include you," Aya said finally. Naitsuusha passed the folder to Aya.

Aya devoured the scant information hungrily and a disappointed look settled on his face. "You don't have a lot of information."

"I hadn't been focusing on just your little sister," explained Naitsuusha because she had already anticipated his reaction. "That file in your hand is just the information I collected on the side."

"Side of what?" Aya asked suspiciously, looking at her closely. Her azure eyes became cool and distant when they met his. Aya was able to read guilt but she didn't reply to his question. He also anticipated her reaction to be so too.

"So," Kayla said quickly, sensing the tension building up again. "I'm very eager to work with you four. I'm positive it will be an excellent experience for the eight of us." She gave each Weiß assassin a sincere smile.

Yohji's eyes flickered between Naitsuusha and Aya from behind his sunglasses. From their body language, Yohji knew they were both on the defensive.

"Remember our deal, Fujimiya," Naitsuusha said before Aya could run off with the files. "Viper will contact you for the mission plan when you're ready."

"Why can't we contact you first?" Yohji asked from his seat.

"We don't trust you to keep such delicate information to yourselves." Jade gave him a withering look.

"But you still want to work with us despite you don't trust us," Yohji pointed out.

"We're on orders to aid and protect Weiß when possible, Kudou," stated Naitsuusha. "We're doing our job. It's as simple as that."

"Things are never simple when you're an assassin," Yohji said intelligently, standing up to leave.

 _How true_ , Jade thought as she watched the handsome man exit. _But I'm not going to tell him that._

"Are you done here?" Aya asked Naitsuusha, breaking into her thoughts. Naitsuusha started, looking at him as if she forgot he was in the same room with her. Aya watched Naitsuusha collect herself.

"I also need to talk to Tsukiyono before I go," Naitsuusha murmured gently. She looked towards the staircase and her lips moved in a silent one-sided conversation.

Aya watched her curiously. _What was going on?_ "What do you have to say to Omi?" Aya asked.

"Something for his ears only," Naitsuusha said coolly, standing up and collecting Omi by one arm. "You should respect other people's privacy."

"And you do?" Aya asked angrily. "Weren't you the one who blackmailed the others into telling our names by surrounding me in a ring of fire?"

"Now that was fun, wasn't it?" Naitsuusha asked with a sadistic smile on her face. "I found that game of Twenty Questions entertaining. It was all thanks to Panther's quick thinking."

"You're crazy," Aya said, glaring at her. _She_ had _to be crazy!_

"So I have been told," Naitsuusha said dryly. "But you're still going to work with us so you better deal with it or we might have problems while we're trying to save your sister."

Naitsuusha then led Omi towards the shared kitchen. Omi had a look of unrestrained fear on his face. Naitsuusha's tone softened considerably as she turned to face Omi. She had a message to pass on and being a bossy bitch wasn't the right way to give it. "Please sit down so we can begin." Omi hesitated, judging the distance from his spot to the door. Naitsuusha smiled wryly, seeing his eyes shift from the door to her. "Please sit down," Naitsuusha repeated, gesturing to the chairs. "This is something I need to say and it's really important for you to hear it."

"What's going on, Fushiro-san?" Omi asked, claiming a seat warily.

Naitsuusha practiced what she was going to say to Omi but when the time came, she couldn't remember her opening line. _Why did I have to be the one to tell him this? It would be better if he found out himself from the source._ "Tsukiyono-kun, I need to tell you something so please don't interrupt me. I might not do it in the best way but I am trying. So you need listen until I finish."

"Of course I will." Omi felt the weight of the conversation already. He hoped it wasn't something horrible.

"I don't know if you know the truth behind Persia." Naitsuusha said softly, staring to the left of Omi so she wouldn't see his tears if he broke down. She couldn't handle shows of emotions from other people, especially from men. "But he was Takatori Shuuichi, Chief of Police. We were on orders to protect him but we failed to prevent his brother, Takatori Reiji, from killing him. I was with Persia when he died. He couldn't speak long but he was determined to give me a message to pass onto you before he died. I'm sorry it's taken this long to get it to you."

At this point, Naitsuusha paused to glance at Omi quickly. Omi was pale with anticipation. He was dreading her next words. _I shouldn't drag this out. For his sake_ , she thought in regret for being the bearer of such news. "Reiji wasn't your father. Shuuichi was. Tsukiyono-kun, Persia was your father." Naitsuusha paused again but Omi couldn't speak. "I believed him when he said it. So I'm telling you this: Persia was your father and he loved you even if he couldn't be there for you during your lifetime."

Omi held his breath. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't comprehend what he just heard. _Persia was my father? But why am I finding this out now? Is that why he saved me from those kidnappers? I owe so much to him. Maybe one day…I'll pay them back before it's too late. He left me a legacy to fill…Persia._

"I…thank you for the message," Omi choked out, his face turning red with emotion. He did cry but it was just a few tears. He wiped them away quickly and then gave a wistful, happy smile as he gazed at his messenger. "I don't know if it's the right feeling to have right now but I'm happy."

"That's good," said Naitsuusha with a warm smile. She turned her head to look at him fully now that she knew Omi wasn't going to turn insane from the news. "Persia wanted you to be happy. I know he did."

Omi stopped listening after that. Was she smiling at him? That small change in her mouth completely transformed her entire person. Omi was seeing for the first time the personality she showed her teammates, not the public.

"Now that I'm done, I must go." Naitsuusha stood. "I'm sure Fujimiya thinks we've overstayed our welcome. That is if we are welcomed which I doubt." Naitsuusha left the room to find the others.

* * *

Jade was sitting alone with Aya after Naitsuusha and Omi departed. The others decided to return to the store to wait. "Tell me about Schreient," the female leader ordered the male one.

Aya was startled. "You don't know about them?"

"I don't know how they fight," Jade explained. "If Karmesinrot Rache is going to help you save your sister, then we need to know what you already know."

"I don't know what to say," Aya hesitated momentarily, gathering his thoughts about the Schreient team. "Their weapons aren't special and they lack… certain abilities," Aya finished off, trying to avoid offense to the girls' powers. His memory of being surrounded in a tornado of fire was very fresh and he hoped never to repeat the terrifying experience.

"Hell fights with a shuriken. Neu fights hand-to-hand. Schön uses a whip. Tot uses an umbrella," Jade ticked off rapidly.

"It's a bladed umbrella," corrected Aya before Jade could get ahead of herself.

"A _bladed_ umbrella," Jade repeated with a raised brow, smirking at the sound of such a ludicrous weapon. "That's very intimidating for an assassin. I see those in Batman movies used by the Penguin." Aya gave her a look of utter confusion, thinking she was crazy to be talking about penguins. "Never mind," muttered Jade darkly, sensing it was better left unexplained.

"They're strong when they're all together." Aya shifted position again to relieve the constant pain in his legs. "They fight together rather well. But if they're separated, they aren't as strong."

"Most teams are like that," commented Jade. "That is the reason why they fight as a team. But every team has its flaws."

Manx said that when she first brought Weiß information about Karmesinrot Rache. Aya thought hard, going over tactics in his mind.

"Have you…ever fought against…Brad Crawford?" Jade asked hesitantly. Aya immediately looked sharply at her face but Jade turned it, whether in guilt or shame, Aya didn't know. She sat stiffly as she waited for Aya's answer.

" _Schwarz_ ," Aya told her the name of the team in case she didn't know it. "He leads Schwarz."

"Does he…fight well?" Jade asked, looking up at him. She was still torn apart by the recent events. "I mean, _really_ fight well without using his gun."

"Extraordinary well," Aya admitted reluctantly. Aya lost many times before to the older man. "Schwarz is powerful because their leader doesn't need any weapon to be capable of killing you."

"Every team has its flaws," Jade repeated firmly. Aya knew she was trying to convince herself that Karmesinrot Rache could defeat Schwarz. That she could defeat Brad Crawford.

"Naoe Nagi would be Schwarz's main defense if they all fight together," Aya remarked.

"We'll have to do something about him," she mused softly. Jade kept her powers secret from everyone except for her team and Chimera. Jade was a strong telepathist but her telekinesis were extremely weak. Her gaze fell on Aya's closed book. Naitsuusha returned in time to hear her ask, "Is that interesting?"

"Very. Not many have read it," Aya asked.

Naitsuusha reached for the book boldly. As she leaned over to pick it up, Aya stiffened at the closeness of her body brushing against his. She turned, taking the book to the other side of the living room. Aya half-closed his eyes and instinctively inhaled the faint scent of her perfumed body. "You're right for once," Naitsuusha said, sitting down in another chair without waiting for an invitation. Aya would have never given her one anyway. "I've never had." She read the inside of the book sleeve, trying to recall what she knew about it. "That text was originally written in German, right?" Naitsuusha asked when she opened it to the introduction by its original author, Ludwig Wittgenstein. "I haven't read this book. If you like philosophy, I recommend Heidegger's _Being and Time_ even though I'm not partial to philosophy books. I prefer classic English and Greek literature."

"I'll look into it one day," Aya said, having no intention to do such a thing. He wasn't to take book recommendations from her. _Why is she sitting here so calmly?_ Aya wondered as he tried not to stare at the girl.

Kayla appeared with Kirei, talks over with their male counterparts. Jade stood and spoke loudly, "We will go home now."

"Good," Naitsuusha said, placing the book on the cushion. Kayla leaned forward to give Ken a quick peck on his cheek before she allowed herself to be led towards their car.

For a few moments, Ken fought down his blushing while Yohji fought down his urge to continue his teasing. Finally, Ken managed to speak normally. Ken looked at Aya in shock. It was finalized. Karmesinrot Rache was now their allies. "You actually accepted help from them? Willing?"

"I needed their information," said Aya calmly. "I can't compromise my sister's life."

Ken's brows came together as he frowned. _Aya never explained himself for his actions! Why is he doing it now? Usually he goes "hn" coldly and then walks away. Either something is wrong with him or something is right. So which one is it?_

"Aya, are you feeling alright?" asked Ken, probing deeper.

"I'm fine," Aya answered. He left abruptly. Ken stared at the empty spot where Aya had been. _So his personality change isn't permanent_ , Ken thought in disappointment. _I was starting to like the idea of his change. Hopefully, one of these days Aya would talk more. He just needs his little sister back. That and a girlfriend._

Aya found Omi in his bedroom reading on his bed. Upon Aya's entrance, Omi smiled at his leader. Aya handed him the file. "Karmesinrot Rache's file. You need to get to work in this as soon as possible."

Omi read through it. "I'll make sure the plan is flawless."

"Good," said Aya as his violet eyes traveled to Omi's face. _Why is he being so secretive? What did Fushiro tell him?_ Aya blinked. He had always referred to them as "those girls." _When did I start calling them by their names?_

As Aya sorted through his countless questions, Omi went to his personal computer to load his own files about Schreient. He compared notes between Karmesinrot Rache's information and his own. "Aya-kun, this is going to take some time." Omi turned around to see Aya leaning over him. "I'll let you know when I finish. You can count on me."


	32. Mission 08 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 08 Grausen - Horror (Tainted Trust)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-16-04

* * *

Nagi sat alone in his workroom, dressed his customary navy blue uniform. The outfit had become a staple in his wardrobe. No one suspected a fifteen-year-old schoolboy to be an assassin. That could be said for Tsukiyono Omi too but Nagi didn't care much about the rival team. They were already dead.

Nagi worked hard at his tedious task, knowing Crawford wanted the information about Chimera's organization as soon as possible. His hands held chopsticks and his drink while he used his telekinesis to type. Crawford confined Nagi to the secluded Schwarz mansion while he went to check on Kundalini sacrifice at Schreient's headquarters. Schuldig told Crawford about his feelings for Tot. Crawford ordered him to stay away, saying he shouldn't work on his crush on the idiot girl since it would be fruitless for her to reciprocate adult emotions. Of course Crawford hadn't used that many words but Nagi understood Crawford meant to kill them in the future. Nagi was forced to obey his leader.

Farfarello was somewhere in Tokyo with his usual weapons at his disposal while Crawford and Schuldig were gone. There were reports of brutal desecrations in Catholic establishments on the news. Schwarz didn't mind the increase in homicide rate as long as he did not get sighted.

In summary, Nagi was the only one home at the moment. He had a list of names and locations to submit to Crawford. Nagi should have felt proud about unlocking the location of the cell phone belonging to Christopher Merache but he wasn't one to brag about his success. However, when the next location was confirmed, he couldn't hide his pleasure. After all, he located the home address of the late Karmesinrot Rache.

"Now for Chimera and I will be done with this task," Nagi said, reaching the heart of Chimera's network. Chimera was much harder to find after the connection to Panther's cell phone was cut. Nagi worked with the information attained before Chimera's protective actions.

The three older men had not returned by the time Nagi went to sleep. Nagi thought back to the youngest member of Schreient. Tot captured his attention right away when they first met. Farfarello called them Takatori Masufumi's gaudy dolls but Tot was special in her own way. In Nagi's line of work, pretty girls weren't the first thing on his list of priorities. But Tot had managed to work her way to the top.

Farfarello returned to a dark mansion. His excitement threatened to overpower him during his silent march towards Nagi's workroom. Everything relating to Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß was given to Nagi to decipher and organize. If Nagi knew anything, it would be on his computer. Nagi didn't bother to encrypt his data when he was at home. He felt no one would be able to break into their house. So Farfarello received easy access to his files. He found the file that would answer the question of whether Karmesinrot Rache was still alive. Farfarello left the mansion again, headed to their home.

* * *

Manticore could only assume it was one by one they entered the pitch-black room. He couldn't explain how they could all find their seats but it was something inscribed into their memory through ritual. Their steps were paced until they entered through unseen doors to sit at their designated spots across from each other. The chairs were strange, moving like a liquid within a warm skin to allow greatest comfort. The table had a metallic feel to it yet exuded warmth like flesh. Manticore knew he wasn't alone in the room but the absence of the sound was unnerving. Something was nullifying the extra noise.

Manticore settled the ill thoughts in his mind about the room as it began to grow brighter. The walls were fully illuminated by the thin bars of lights forming the edges of the pentagon shaped room. He always marveled at how the doors seemed to disappear once all four faces were present.

They were like a numbered die in rank. One was the great Chimera, two through five were the four private faces, and the sixth was the public face, the lowliest section of the food chain. They were called here to discuss important matters. Four men, ranging in age, dress, and build faced each other across a pentagon table. Once the lights were on, the table became plain silver metal and the chairs were hard black plastic. He pressed his fingers against the table again but the mysterious quality of the furniture was still there.

The droning of his colleagues filled his ears. Typhon glanced around the pentagon table, eyes lingering suspiciously at the side always left vacant. _Was she there? Like a ghost listening to their conversation?_ Typhon was a practical man. Science was his forte. Mysticism was not. Chimera summoned another meeting to reveal her next plan.

Typhon dwelled in Styx, a building constructed to be his mechanic body. He knew every square inch of the structure. But where did the other faces live? Why could they appear and disappear from this room without seeing where they stood or hear their steps? He didn't need a car or any sort of transportation besides his own two feet. But the sensation of time vanished every time he set foot outside his quarters on Chimera's orders. Was it magic?

"Typhon."

He reached over to the middle of the table when Griffin called his name. The table was a solid chunk of metal, plastic, and electricity with circuits serving as roots to the heart of Styx (if that was where they were). Upon Typhon's touch on its smooth surface, a panel slid open in front of the men to reveal a console. Typhon slipped in a data disc. The table lit up with a dull blue light from the base that grew increasingly brighter. HADES, short for Hologram and Digital E-Image System, Chimera's image and sound transmitter, was activated.

" _Raven!" Viper called out, rushing into the office._ The images appeared all around them until they were submersed in Karmesinrot Rache's world, played by technology no government ever known. Blood smeared gloved hands filled the room, the bright red liquid so vivid that Typhon could taste its coppery flavor in his mouth. _"Are you bleeding?"_

 _Raven pulled away. "This is Persia's blood."_

"Persia's dead," Griffin's confused voice broke the spell, bringing them back into their own minds. "Why are we watching this again, Typhon?" he wanted to know.

Typhon coughed, fighting a minor head cold and adjusted the scene with an intricate series of taps on the console. "So we remember that Persia _is_ dead. But Karmesinrot Rache seems to have forgotten their loyalty lies with Chimera." He changed the imagery with another touch.

" _Tsuu and I were discussing whether to assist Weiß."_ They all recognized Falcon's voice. If Minotaur recognized the use of Raven's birth name, he did not twitch when the girls to Raven referred as such. _"If they are determined to find Fujimiya's sister, I think their cause is just."_

It continued with the four operatives watching Karmesinrot Rache banter about their assignments. Finally it ended _: "Someone save me from the ideals of my team!"_ From Viper's own eye, the four men saw Panther's defeated, haggard look. _"Fine," Panther finally agreed to working with Weiß before she vanished upstairs in their Tokyo base._

A snort of outrage escaped Griffin. The other two controlled their reactions at Karmesinrot Rache's decision. Typhon shut off HADES. "Chimera does not need Karmesinrot Rache to be Weiß's guards," Typhon explained. "Karmesinrot Rache cannot pursue this self-given mission of theirs."

Minotaur's black eyes were filled with genuine concern. He grasped the edges of the table with his meaty hands, his hard muscles bulging under his clothes. "Panther should have never agreed in the first place," he said, looking at Manticore gravely. "Her decisions-"

"Will be rectified," Manticore interrupted his second-in-command, sounding mildly amused at his easily excitable colleagues. "I cannot tolerate her ostentatious actions anymore than you three can."

"It's too late," Griffin snarled. "They'll ask questions. I think it would be best if we-"

Again Manticore cut across the conversation. "You don't need to think," he said, eyes hard. "It is Chimera's job to develop strategies. We will not discuss what has already happened because it is Chimera's mind that matters. Let's prevent any more damage from occurring. The mission will fix it." He paused, meeting everyone's eyes. "Chimera will decide," he finished, the most rational of them all. When he spoke, they all listened. Not from fear of violence but they knew he always had something worthwhile to say. "Chimera will relay new orders once it has been finalized."

Their presence was no longer required. They knew it was time to leave once the lights started to dim again. They stared at the fifth side, the empty spot at the table, knowing they would never see the one named Chimera. The four men exchanged glances with each other. Their eyes showed that they held different personalities: a calm darkness, a wicked sun, a boiling ocean, and a rumbling earth.

Everyone vanished through the same unseen doors that would open only for them. Dead silence filled the air after their absence. The walls sealed themselves up again and there was not a crack to be seen.

Pixel after pixel came to life as the room was again filled with multi-colored lights. Soon it focused as a series of shifting images, each one taken of white brick house from all possible angles. The walls became a large screen of images revolving around the table. Now it was time for Chimera. The spot that had been empty when the four men were present was now filled after their departure. A shadowed face attached to a dark body sat erect as the images showed the current playing field.

The walls changed at the sound of her voice. The four walls stopped showing photographs of Karmesinrot Rache's house. Each one of them was filled with the designated assassin team.

"Schwarz." The team led by Brad Crawford faced Chimera. They were easily the most powerful assassination team alive. The path to their defeat was shrouded in shadow and Chimera carried the torch that would be the light.

"Weiß." Kritiker's most efficient killing force. Crashers would never measure up to Weiß if they never got their hands bloody. Abyssinian was the best leader since the birth of Kritiker. His skills from Shion of the Sendai-stationed Weiß allowed his hands to wield the blade of the same honorable name. He brought that skill with him to Crashers and as the leader of Tokyo's Weiß.

"Schreient." The four females serving Takatori Masufumi were thought to be joke. Chimera eyed Hell, weighing her on giant scales of power. Would they still be useful as an active role in her destiny? They had yet proved their real worth against their enemies. Shall Chimera give them a chance?

"Karmesinrot Rache." Her highly prized team led by Panther was shamed in combat. Chimera did not expect the girls to falter in following direct orders but what she had learned was that the four girls were not as reliable as she had originally thought. Chimera mulled over the current events. Project Revolution must be advanced into the next stage in order to control the four wayward females.

Hesitation crept into her breath. Chimera would give two new orders within the next few days. But for now, her goals must be fulfilled. Finally, she gave one last command. "Terminate."

All four walls went blank at the word. All four teams must be dealt with along with the public face of Chimera's organization. Chimera did not need the fifth face if it would not speak as it was directed.


	33. Mission 08 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 08 Grausen - Horror (Tainted Trust)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-16-04

* * *

Typhon watched for stray eyes. He was a bundle of tired nerves wrapped in wrinkled clothes. Without his crisp lab coat, he felt he had no rank in the outside world. He spent days and nights in his labs where he controlled everything. The real world had too many random factors to be safe. Chimera would make sure everyone followed her order. Typhon had to bridge the next step.

Kirei lay sprawled on her back across the longest sofa in the living room with the television on. She watched reruns with an open bag of potato chips in her hands. The doorbell rang. Kirei sat up at the sound, dusted off the crumbs on her oversized blue sports jersey that held more sentimental value to her than anything else, and walked to get the door. When she opened it, there was a very handsome man in his late twenties with reddish brown hair on the doorstep. Pure joy lit up Kirei's face at his appearance.

"Chimera!" Kirei was thrilled to see their employer. She threw herself into his arms for a long hug. Typhon patted her on the back gently. He had bed-head hair as usual. His eyes were a light hazel color. Dark circles were ever present under his eyes. His frame was made skinnier by his white collared shirt with its too long sleeves and wide black pants overshadowed his skinny legs. "You've been working too hard," Kirei criticized him without hesitation.

Typhon chuckled good-naturedly at the sight of her clothes. "You're the one drowning in that jersey." He knew it was an item she salvaged from her late brother. "You're the only one who says that I overwork. Panther and Raven both think I slack off."

"You do that too," amended Kirei with a sweet smile. "You work too hard at slacking off. How many beach houses do you own now?"

"I don't go to the beach. I burn easily. I'll never win against you girls, will I?" Typhon shook his head.

"Nope, not once," laughed Kirei. "What did you bring for us today? Money? Mission? Money and mission?" Kirei bounced cheerfully.

"Mission first, my dearest." Typhon passed her the folder. "The money comes after its completion."

"Would you like to come in? Maybe you would like to visit Jade?" Kirei asked hopefully. "I think she wants to yell at you for making us protect Weiß for so long."

Typhon grimaced at the thought. "As much as I'd like to sit through her lecture on how I should do my job, I can't," Typhon said. "I have to get to another meeting."

"We're not important enough for you?" Kirei pouted. "We work so hard for you!"

Typhon gave Kirei another hug. "Karmesinrot Rache is the most important thing in the world to me. The four of you are irreplaceable. Especially you, Viper. You know you're like a daughter to me."

"Thanks, Chimera," Kirei's whole face shone at his words. "But you shouldn't play favorites."

"The reason you're my favorite is that you're the only one who doesn't call me Chimmy-chan behind my back," Chimera said dryly. "Can you think of more belittling nickname than Chimmy-chan?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Kirei laughed. "Because I can probably come up with a list of nicknames better than the one Jade gave you."

"What have I gotten myself into?" Typhon asked himself, sounding scared of the possibilities. "Just tell the others I stopped by." Kirei closed the door after she watched Typhon drive off.

 _His visits are getting shorter and less frequent_ , she thought sadly as she returned to the living room, holding the mission orders. He looks really tired. The television's voice went unnoticed as she dwelled on Typhon's appearance. Every time Kirei saw the man, he was worsening for wear. The entire man looked wrung out from stress and concerns Karmesinrot Rache had no clue about. Kirei tightened her hold on the sides of the folder, "I'm going to make sure the others treat him better." The words were easier said than done. But she would try. She adored Chimera.

* * *

The icy blue beast of a car streamed through the streets of Tokyo until they exited civilization. Naitsuusha knew the bumpy roads were clear and how her car would react to her slightest movements. So unlit, rough terrain wasn't the reason why she was gripping the steering wheel so tightly. The reason was on her right. Jade sat with a stiff, controlled expression. "I still think this is a bad idea," Naitsuusha felt the need to voice her concerns against Jade's deaf ears.

"I don't," Jade replied rigidly. _That's all that matters._ After Yohji's encounter, she saw things she shouldn't. People's minds were only words but her weakening shields processed their words into images. With triple to quadruple vision, Jade no longer could shut it out. A last ditch effort had to be made.

"Jade," Naitsuusha said quietly without looking at her friend. She sensed Jade's silent monologue. "You're projecting."

"Tch."

The rest of the ride was in silence. When Naitsuusha finally stopped in front of her old home, she gave it a wistful look. Jade took no notice because she looked yearningly across the expanse of forest. She turned towards Naitsuusha, catching her eye. If she was anybody else, Jade wouldn't explain.

But this was Naitsuusha, the person who watched her back when they were a two-unit team before the arrival of the others. "I need this, Tsuu," Jade began weakly with a feverish gleam in her eyes. "You don't know how bad it is to be me right now. Just give me two hours."

Naitsuusha asked incredulously, "You're not even dressed to stay out in the wilderness! How are you going to last two hours in this cold?"

Jade was already walking away. "I will go crazy if I don't. I know this forest isn't that far from Tokyo but I need this." She casted a pleading look.

Naitsuusha reined in her concerned words. _Jade really looks awful! I haven't seen Jade this bad...well, ever. Is this what happens every time she leaves the house in the middle of the night? I know it must be hard to constantly protect yourself from other people but I never thought it was_ this _difficult._

"Okay." Naitsuusha let Jade go until she melted among the darkness like a shadow. Jade, who hated the cold more than anything, would suffer. But it was the lesser evil in her opinion. Freezing to death or going crazy, Jade made her decision.

As the sounds of the night filled her ears, Naitsuusha turned slowly to look at her old vacant home. After her parents' deaths, it went to her brother Gabriel and now to her after his death. Naitsuusha swallowed the sudden lump in her throat. Thinking of Gabriel these days always brought up Brad. She stayed there for another few minutes, mulling the past before driving out of the sight of the building. The house was too painful right now.

* * *

Merache half-heartedly paid attention to the presentation on the projector. Merache nodded along when he heard something he liked but for the majority of the meeting, his attention was on the fine grain of his conference table. His business seemed less interesting to him when compared to his personal projects. The meeting was adjourned after Merache granted the funding to get the scientists to leave. The men thanked him graciously. Merache bade them farewell before he went to his private office.

Merache sat there behind his desk, feeling both mentally and physically exhausted. He counted eight cups of coffee in his system. He felt like he needed another eight cups to keep himself on his feet. Merache exited his large office, the last one out. It was another long work day. He loosened the green Italian silk tie around his neck when he was truly alone inside his car. Merache stopped by a small restaurant to eat. It wasn't a fancy restaurant but Merache liked the food just the same. Even though Merache had millions at his disposal, he didn't need to flaunt it.

However, his house was the exact opposite of his preferences. It was the mansion Chimera selected to show power and wealth. When Merache got home, he took a long shower to rinse away the invisible coat of paint across his body, the one that made him a President of a company whose work and secrets belong to someone else. He changed from his suit into casual clothes in tasteful grays, greens, and blues.

As Merache walked through the carpeted hallways with its lavish decorations on the walls, he whistled an old song from his home country to ward off the silence. He settled in for the night with Project Revolution in mind. Each room had cameras but Merache had worked hard to reroute the security systems so it would also show mundane footage of him reading or sleeping inside his private study. So far, it kept Chimera's eyes off him in that one room.

Project Revolution was some sort of spy system but its full purpose was not yet known. Merache drained a cup of English black tea in the kitchen before he went to work in his spacious study. After making no progress when he reached level O-sigma, Merache went to get himself another refill of tea from the kitchen.

Merache desired no security guards in the house but they were nearby in case of emergencies. He was an able fighter to last long enough until reinforcements arrived. Chimera's security system would warn him of any intruders trespassing on his lands. While he was filling up his large mug, his phone rang. Merache walked over to the phone mounted on the wall and picked up.

"Hello?" Merache asked into the receiver.

"Intruder spotted in sector fifteen, dial zero to request police assistance, dial star for immediate action from Serpent, dial one to cancel all actions," a recorded female voice informed him. Serpent was the guard post, housing Chimera operatives. Merache raced to the nearest television to turn on the security channel. A grid filled the screen, dissecting the space into squares. Merache zoomed into sector fifteen. A camera wired in the surrounding tress captured a small figure stumbling clumsily through the trees if she was lost. Merache picked up a phone. The same message was still playing. Merache's finger went to the zero button but he paused mid-way. The figure looked up at the trees.

"Panther?" Merache breathed. It was definitely Panther. It was her without the attitude, without the sunglasses, and without the trademark leather duster. Merache canceled the security systems and sat down on his sofa to watch the girl.

* * *

In the forest, Jade sat down at the base of a large tree. Her head was no longer pounding from the thoughts of nearby people but her body was exhausted. Jade realized Naitsuusha was right. She was definitely not dressed to spend two hours out alone. _I haven't looked this bad since I was homeless_ , Jade thought as she rubbed her arms to warm up. But Jade was relieved to be alone. She needed this type of excursion to clear everyone from her head.

"I hope Tsuu doesn't try looking for me if I don't get back within two hours," Jade muttered to the trees around her. "But I know she will. It's time to go back to the car."

Jade stood with a sigh, feeling sorry to be leaving her wooded sanctuary so soon. She was well aware she was a loner by nature and liked nothing more to become an educated hermit. _I could live in a nice small house in the woods with no neighbors around me. I don't crave attention from anyone._ Jade paced herself to make it back to the car in one piece so she was thirty minutes late. Naitsuusha hid her anxiety well. All she asked was, "How was it?" when Jade reached the car.

"I'm better now," Jade said, stretching her sore limbs by raising her arms up. "The only person I hear in my head is me," she said, opening the car door. "Let's get out of here."

Naitsuusha agreed, giving her house one last look before starting the car. When the girls returned, they overheard Kirei's concerned voice. "They're still not back from their drive?" Kirei frowned. "Should I call Tsuu's cell phone and see if they're on their way back home now?"

"No need to," Kayla replied, hearing the garage door open. "I think they've returned."

"I got visited by Chimera," Kirei held up the folder for all to see. "We have a mission!"

Naitsuusha opened the files to shuffle through the photographs of the victims. Her muscles in her face tightened at the sight of the images. _Sometimes I wonder if Chimera tries on purpose to get the most gruesome images possible to see how much we can handle_ , thought Naitsuusha. The digitized voice of their employer coming from the television made her look away from the photographs.

"Karmesinrot Rache, the works of God was perverted maliciously. Your target is Farfarello of Schwarz. Crimson beasts, devour those who commit injustice and make them the prey of tomorrow!"

Karmesinrot Rache stared at the black screen in stunned silence. The photographs on file showed their target working alongside the other members of Schwarz. Farfarello was always dressed in a bright blue vest with front zippers over dark colored pants and black boots.

"Schwarz already?" said Kayla in a quiet voice. "But why just Farfarello?"

"No, this is good," said Jade, sitting up. "If we take Farfarello down without revealing we survived, we can weaken them."

Kirei was doubtful. Her hypnosis didn't work on Farfarello when they fought against each other on the rooftop of Jigen Political building. It doesn't make sense! As long as Kirei could focus on her target's eyes, her powers would work! Kirei was dispirited at the memory of Farfarello dodging most of her fan attacks. He seemed to enjoy the sensation of her blades slashing his skin and the only reason she landed a blow on his body was because he allowed her to. It wasn't her imagination!

"Tsuu," Jade called out, reaching over to clutch at Naitsuusha's sleeve. Naitsuusha turned around after composing herself. "Remember, we're not fighting Brad yet. This is only Farfarello."

"I know that," Naitsuusha said quietly, tearing her sleeve away from Jade's fingers. The girl vanished upstairs to her bedroom. She stood at the window, looking out over Tokyo, the city she protected as Karmesinrot Rache. "Chimera," she whispered with a grim, mirthless smile for their employer and his choices. "You're always fucking with me." The truth came out and before she could fully understand it, Chimera sent her against Schwarz in a test of loyalty. How long until Brad Crawford was made her target? The prospect of killing the man who looked exactly like Gabriel was wrenching her apart.

The curtained window prevented Merache from seeing which girl lived inside the rooms facing the street. _This quiet neighborhood was a good choice for Karmesinrot Rache_ , thought Merache. It was a lucky break for him to follow the exotic Jaguar home. Merache never thought he would discover Karmesinrot Rache's location by chance. Someone in Heaven must really like him. He wondered why they would though. After all, the people he worked for could be as heartless as Satan himself.


	34. Mission 09 Gift - Poison

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 09 Gift – Poison (Lost of Reason)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-27-04

* * *

Amid the messy basement, eight people crowded around a too small table where strewn loose papers and laptops took up as much space as their bodies. Omi's blue eyes burned with grim intensity, his childish perkiness quelled for the solemn occasion. He was ready to reveal how they were going to strike at Schreient to the waiting eyes and ears of Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache.

The women of Schreient left a paper trail through their efforts to recreate a hospital room capable of sustaining life. They arranged a pick-up from one of the medical facilities owned by a large corporation by the name of Mitara. The layout of the compound was marked by red circles to denote the security stations. The assassins' attention was fully bestowed upon Omi and Naitsuusha. Both presented the main aspects of the mission plan.

Jade pointed to the seven guard posts in the facility with a worried look. "Are you sure these will be empty when Schreient is there?"

"Schreient doesn't want to deal with unnecessary people," Omi explained, sounding pleased at their lucky break. "I already got the schedule from their employee log sheet." He gave Jade a reassuring look. "It _will_ be empty."

Jade stared at the layout of the facility harder, trying to find a flaw in his confidence. There was none. From Omi's information, the facility was basically a tall warehouse with small offices and cubicles on upper floors. Staircases connected the floors at each end of the building while cargo elevators allowed the heavy equipment to be moved when they weren't in storage.

"The pick-up would be happening in gate three," Omi elaborated, finger tracing the path from the city roads to the gate entrance. "If we follow Schreient from this gate, we can track them back to where they keep Aya-chan. The most important thing is we can't allow them to know we're watching them. If they know, they'll never go back the right way and most likely fight us."

"That means you need to control yourself, Fujimiya," said Jade, directing her lingering concerns on the redheaded swordsman. "No screaming out 'die' until we have your little sister in sight."

Aya glared at her darkly. Jade's tongue was sharper than ever due to her injury. He asked Omi, "What time will Schreient be there?"

"At one in the morning," confirmed Omi without hesitation. "We should decide where each of us will be stationed."

"I think we should spread out," Jade suggested.

"I'll stay near the road," offered Ken eagerly. He glanced around the table, hoping one of Weiß would also volunteer. "My motorcycle got fixed. It's smaller to hide than a car."

"I'll go with Hidaka," said Jade with a smirk after hearing Ken's offer. Ken gave her a look of dismay. "You got a problem with that?"

"No." Ken shook his head wisely after recovering. "It's just…are you going to be on the back of my motorcycle?"

"In your dreams, Siberian," Jade replied coolly.

Kirei spoke up, "Omi-kun and I will be in the background, monitoring the warehouse through our computers. We'll also handle communications between both teams. That's a two person job." She looked at Jade for confirmation and received her brief nod.

"Kayla, you work with Tsuu outside the pick-up point," Jade decided. "Kudou and Fujimiya will be inside, patrolling the area to make certain those security guard offices are empty."

"That's a good idea." Yohji nodded in agreement.

"Does everyone know what's they're doing tomorrow night?" Omi asked the group. They ironed out the details and synchronized their actions. Aya listened to them speak, feeling more determined than ever to get back his sister tomorrow night.

* * *

It was a night full of drizzling rain. The asphalt leading towards the warehouse was covered with shiny pools and ribbons of orange-yellow lights.

"Check in," said Omi's voice over the group communications, breaking the tense silence. "Bombay." He stood, glancing outside to the empty halls.

"Viper," said Kirei immediately from beside him in the security office. She watched the monitors attentively. Yohji and Aya checked in from their spot on the second floor. Naitsuusha and Kayla followed.

"Siberian," Ken added, voice muffled by his helmet.

"Panther. Over and out," Jade finished briskly, ending the status check. As agreed the previous night, Ken and Jade were stationed on opposite sides of the road. Both carried binoculars to verify it was indeed Schreient in the car when they drove past towards the warehouse. "We have movement. Repeat, we have movement," Jade reported when she saw a pair of headlights in the distance. "Standby for confirmation."

The white car closed in onto their stakeout spot. Ken raised the binoculars to his face to see the driver was male. "Negative. It's the wrong car."

"False alarm, team," Jade said after the car passed them by. They waited for hours ever since the warehouse closed down for the night. Aya was not taking any chances to miss Schreient in case they decided to come get their merchandise earlier.

More time passed by. Yohji patrolled the exterior of building. Aya stayed inside, seated on a hard chair. It was the waiting part of this mission that was killing him. He normally was a very patient man but this mission was crucial in finding the location of his sister. Aya laid his treasured katana across his lap, holding it by the sheath and handle. The samurai sword was his ally since his family's death. The katana would aid him in his quest to find his little sister. The legacy of _Shion_ would always be with him.

The window gave a clear view of the parking lot and barbed wire fence around gate three. Aya checked the time again, wishing for the confrontation to come sooner. They still had thirty minutes before Schreient's scheduled time of arrival.

Naitsuusha and Kayla waited inside their red mission car. Aya's white car was parked behind them. They were watching it until Schreient departed from the warehouse. Naitsuusha's and Kayla's job was to confirm it was Schreient when they exit their car to take control of the truck.

Kayla's hankyu was assembled for battle with a full quiver pack at her feet. "After we save Abyssinian's sister, we can start the mission plan for Farfarello," said Kayla, sitting in the front passenger seat. "Chimera will call to ask why we haven't completed it if we take too long."

"We got time," said Naitsuusha, brushing it off guiltily. "Chimera knows we'll get it done within his timeframe."

Suddenly, Ken's excited voice came over their communicators. "We have visual confirmation! Schreient is headed towards Mitara now!"

"How many?" Aya's voice asked quickly. "Who's in the car?"

"It looks like the entire team with Hell driving with Schön beside her. Neu and Tot are in the back."

"No one moves until they reach Mitara," Omi reminded, ordering the perimeter security cameras to follow Schreient's movement. "Viper and I will join Raven and Falcon once they leave the premises. Abyssinian and Balinese, you two need to meet us there."

Aya stood up swiftly when Ken declared Schreient's arrival, too edgy to sit down any longer. Schreient's car passed through the opening in the fence to stop beside the front of the truck. "Get out and let me see that it's you," muttered Aya intently. The driver's door swung open for Hell to step out. She was dressed in a tight black and red jumpsuit. A yellow headband kept her hair out of her eyes. She turned towards the truck and climbed up inside the driver's seat.

Schön got out next, dressed in gray and black. The ex-supermodel shielded the top of her head and face vainly from the cold rain as she ran around the front of the car to take Hell's place in the driver's seat.

"They're off," said Aya into the microphone when both vehicles pulled away from their parking spot. "Balinese and I are going to meet up with Raven and Falcon."

Aya waited for a confirmation from Kirei or Omi. "Bombay? Viper?" Aya adjusted the settings on the microphone unit around his head but there was no feedback, not even static. "It's dead," said Aya in dread.

Aya ran outside the room, searching for Yohji. Aya's fixation on Schreient prevented him from noticing Yohji was gone too long without checking in. A loud crash from upstairs spurred Aya towards the closest staircase. He took them three at a time, ignoring the protesting pain in his legs. When he burst through the metal fire doors, Yohji laid crumpled in the hall next to a heavy metal chair, unconscious from being smashed over the head by the chair.

"Balinese!" Aya ran to his fallen friend in aid.

Aya's deep voice stirred Yohji to his senses. "Get back!" Yohji croaked in warning but it was too late. A slim body dressed in blue and black swung around the door to knock Aya back into the staircase. Aya fell sideways down its metal stairs after missing the banister as a support. A hard object bounced noisily after him. Aya's violet eyes widened at the rolling black orb. It looked a grenade but was it? Aya didn't want to find out. He climbed to his feet and ran the opposite way.

When it exploded, its force slapped him like a giant hand across his entire body. Aya went flying into the air, fearing the heat from the explosion would incinerate him in an instant. But it had been a pressure bomb, flattening the metal walls with ease. Aya collided with the ground face-first, his ears ringing and nose bleeding freely. He lost his sense of orientation. He laid on the floor, hearing nothing, not even his own thoughts.

Naitsuusha and Kayla ran towards the facility after its walls blew outwards with a low boom that shook the area in one fluid wave. Something was horribly wrong inside. Their communication lines were dead. If someone got to them without being seen by both of them, the whole mission was compromised. There was only one explanation to describe this situation. Schreient set a trap. Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß had fallen for it.

"Viper, come in! Bombay, can you hear me?" Kayla shouted into her receiver as the two girls entered through a broken window. "It's dead," Kayla said grimly to Naitsuusha.

Naitsuusha led the way inside. "We need to find the others and figure out what the hell happened!"

The girls climbed over the smashed metal on the first floor. The east staircase was destroyed completely by Neu's pressure bomb. Aya bled from his ears on the newly made concave floor, his katana lost among the metal around him.

"Find his weapon and try to help him get out of here," Kayla said urgently, tripping over the twisted metal in her haste to get to the west staircase. "I'm going upstairs."

"Got it," Naitsuusha navigated her way towards Aya. A fist met her squarely in the jaw out of the darkness. She fell backwards into the blunt end of a beam. Pain flared up her spine. Neu stood over her with her fists clenched, ready to strike again.

"But you left with the others!" Naitsuusha gasped, shocked at the sight of Neu dressed in a tight dark blue outfit with a large mask over her face. All four members of Schreient had gone! _Unless…someone was impersonating them in the backsea_ _t_ , Naitsuusha thought with a sinking feeling. The taciturn Neu only shifted her footing to attack again in answer. Naitsuusha used an upturn desk to pull herself to her feet and threw it towards Neu. She nimbly leapt over it.

Naitsuusha used the distraction to pull several needles from their holders. She threw them at Neu's unprotected body. Neu kicked each of them out of the air in rapid succession. Naitsuusha's mouth dropped open at the speed of Neu's kicks. Neu had perfect control of her body. Naitsuusha growled.

"How unfortunate for you to have to fight against me!" Naitsuusha gathered fire in her open hands before she threw the blast. Neu ran into it without fear. She came out of the fire unscathed to punch Naitsuusha again. Naitsuusha grabbed her outstretched arm and yanked it behind her enemy's back.

The violent wrenching should have dislocated Neu's shoulder. But the fighter twisted around to deliver a hard kick. Naitsuusha released Neu's arm to prevent the kick from connecting with her head. _Her outfit is fireproof!_ Naitsuusha realized at the sight of the shiny blue cloth. _It has to be! And that mask…it's allowing her to see and breathe while surrounded in fire. That girl is as flexible as me!_ Naitsuusha had years as a gymnast under her belt but seeing someone else as good as her was surprising. Naitsuusha shifted stances, watching Neu carefully. She was going to show Neu how deadly Karmesinrot Rache could be. Naitsuusha leapt off the ground and used the wind to give herself an extra boost. She twisted in mid-air and landed a solid kick to the back of Neu's head. Neu went flying over the desk but curled up to roll a few feet before getting back up.

Naitsuusha swore Neu was smiling at her behind the mask. _That was just a warm-up. I'm getting serious now_ , thought Naitsuusha darkly. Neu came at her, kicking and punching hard. Naitsuusha blocked and retaliated, fully caught up in her battle against Neu. She was unable to spare a moment to think about how the others were holding up. _  
_

* * *

The house was lonely without its occupants. The ghost smiled blissfully. He wouldn't be disturbed when he searched their things. He came in through the rear garage. The red mission car was gone for the night. His smile grew wider at the sight of two cars in the front garage. Did they belong to the oldest members of Karmesinrot Rache? Again, he ran his fingers over the sleek body of the silvery blue Jaguar, tasting it with his skin. _This one had to be Raven's_ , he thought. She was stylish and refined. The other car, the black Lexus belonged to Panther. She was fast and flashy.

After he inspected the dark garage, he entered the home with a feeling of utmost satisfaction. His sharp eyes were able to make out the room's details despite the darkness. The floor of the hallway was protected by a rose-colored carpet, so thick and soft that his boots sank into its lushness. He walked slowly, savoring each framed painting on the wall: A floral arrangement in black and white except for two pink roses, two birds in a cherry blossom tree, a water painting, and a duo photographic skyline of Chicago and New York.

He could practically smell their intoxicating scents. The living room had a low coffee table made out of ebony wood, gleaming brightly. Polish could not bring out such a brilliant shine; it was hard elbow grease on Jade's part. Unfortunately, it was cluttered with papers and…a white mission envelope? He opened it, devouring the files with amusement. _The girls of Karmesinrot Rache have high goals_ ,he thought as he filled the room with his harsh laughter.

The adjoining kitchen was just as organized. All the counters were wiped clean several times daily. The dishes and cups were placed in their proper places. He opened the silverware drawer to gaze at the utensils. He pilfered a tiny steak knife, slipping it inside his vest. The metal was deliciously cold against his beating heart.

There was a workout room nestled in the corner of the house. It was full of light exercise equipment and colored mats. The last major room on the first floor was a combination of a library, study, and storage room. The girls crammed trinkets, books, magazines, and other odds and ends to be displayed on every available flat surface. Extra boxes of personal effects were stacked in one corner. It was the most disorganized room in the house. Nothing matched since it was from four different personalities but it told him the girls only lived here recently.

The upper floors contained their bedrooms. Pure unrestrained joy flowed over his body at being so close to them. He walked into the closest room. Did it belong to Panther or Raven? Heavy black curtains covered the window completely. The owner must value privacy immensely. A laptop was charging on a simple desk. He played with it, sensing its owner was Raven. The bed faced away from the window and shrine of candles sat beside her bed. The dweller did not like natural light.

The next bedroom definitely belonged to the youngest member of Karmesinrot Rache, Viper. Every square inch of the room was covered in posters of famous actors and artists. A small stereo sat on the floor beside her desk and he went to see which CD she was listening to. Kat Polari's _Miracle._

The room across from Viper's belonged to the second youngest assassin, Falcon. Her Braille-based computer was a dead giveaway. Bright yellow curtains framed her windows. Her walls were covered with an array of unique mosaics. Instead of having glossy flat posters, her walls were full of texture and vibrant color. He ran his hands over the rough sandpapery feel of cloth worn by an actor. Another poster was a collage of velvet, cotton, wool, and other fabrics to mimic a large monument.

And lastly, the room at the end of the hallway belonged to Panther. The cream colored walls were bare except for two wall scrolls. The first showed a lavish oasis in the middle of a desolated desert. The second was hand drawn to recreate a fiery scene that haunted her dreams. He studied her message beneath the inferno. _It must be personal_ , he thought. _Let the world burn to let dreams take flight._ He turned away from the second wall scroll, back towards the bed. He could still feel the warmth of her body. He leaned over it and drew in her essence.

Farfarello wanted to drink the crimson up.

* * *

Kayla wasn't aware Neu and Naitsuusha were fighting downstairs. She had to find the others right away. The second floor was in better shape than the first. It was a miracle the building still stood erect with the destruction of its first floor.

"We might need backup," Kayla muttered when she sensed Yohji on the floor. But it was futile to hope Jade and Ken would come to their aid. They would follow the truck and car towards Tokyo. They wouldn't know of this situation unless they realized there was something wrong with their quarry.

Unfortunately for everyone back at Mitara, that was exactly the situation Jade and Ken were in. They only realized their dilemma when the truck and the car went in separate directions. They left their post after the two vehicles passed them by as planned. Ken confirmed it was still Hell and Schön as the drivers when they drove back. It wasn't until now that they realized they were without contact to the others. The distance between Jade and her team was too great to create a reliable telepathic link when she wasn't fully recovered.

"We can't lose sight of them," Jade said urgently when the truck and car parted ways. "We won't get a second chance at this!"

"You should go back to Mitara!" Ken ordered her. "I'll follow them!"

"You can't follow the car and the truck at the same time! What if you need my help?" Jade snarled her reply, a twinge of concern for the man. _He may be good but it's still four against one!_

"Let's hope I don't!" replied Ken bravely. "I'll follow the truck! You need to go back to find out why we don't have back-up!"

Jade wanted to listen but she couldn't leave him here. She couldn't abandon Ken when they were working as a team! Jade may not like Weiß but she had a sense of honor. "I say screw the plan and we can get the information out of Schreient through torture!" she growled, finally directing her dark rage at the rightful recipients.

"I'm not sure I agree with the torture concept but 'screw the plan' works for me!" Ken laughed as the both of them raced to catch up with the truck. Ken raised his bugnucks in the air, gesturing for Jade to pull out her no dachi from its sheath. Jade followed Ken's movements. They took position on both sides of the truck and slashed its tires.

"We'll get Hell for sure," Ken said as the truck decelerated. It stopped about a quarter of a mile down the road but what followed was unexpected. Ken and Jade approached, hoping to get to Hell before she could run. The truck turned into a glorious fireball like a dragon being born from the wet earth. Ken and Jade crashed to the slick asphalt from the force.

Back inside Mitara, Tot smiled at Omi and Kirei cheerfully. She hadn't had this much fun since Nagi made the pink cherry blossoms dance for her in her backyard.

"Bladed umbrella, huh?" Kirei laughed half-heartedly. Tot literally gotten the drop on the both of them and destroyed their communications base.

"You knew we were here, didn't you?" asked Omi darkly. Schreient had been here all along, watching them. It was perfectly done. In a way, it was admirable. Schreient outmaneuvered both Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache.

"Hell's very smart," beamed Tot proudly. "Hell planned it all out! Tot helped!"

"Really?" Kirei asked, trying to keep the girl occupied with conversation. "What did you do that was so helpful?"

"Tot told Hell to use big dolls that look like Tot and Neu," Tot giggled. "Tot likes dolls. But Tot doesn't like you so it's okay to kill you," said Tot with a bright smile on her face.

 _Dolls...dressed up mannequins_ , Omi thought bitterly. They all fell for it. Each and every single one of them.

Kirei scowled. She hated being on the losing side. It was time to turn the tables. "You want to play with us, Tot? Then let's start the game." Kirei used her hypnosis. _She won't last long against the two of us._

Tot's smile vanished. "Tot thinks you're cheating!" she cried out angrily, swinging her umbrella towards Kirei. Kirei blocked the blade with her closed fans. The force of the fight was getting more intense as Kirei and Tot battled it out while Omi got his shots in when he could.

The room stayed steady for Omi. Tot would sway on her feet when Kirei's eyes made contact with Tot's. But Omi didn't know it was hypnosis. He just knew Tot was suffering from the same strange feelings he had before when he first fought against Kirei.

Omi threw a handful of darts at Tot. Tot brought forth her umbrella and opened it with a snap. The thick yellow fabric caught the darts. Tot spun the entire umbrella to loosen the darts. Small holes appeared in the umbrella but it was very much intact. "Tot came prepared," Tot said smugly. "She remembers how Weiß fights. They play dirty."

Omi scowled and knew he should have brought his giant bow and arrows. Since darts failed to work, Omi used his second weapon, his arm crossbow. Maybe the fabric wouldn't stand up to that. But Omi knew it was hoping for too much. Schreient was fully prepared to fight against them. _This was definitely a trap_ , Omi thought with a sinking heart.

Tot tried not to concentrate on Kirei's eyes. She felt bad when she looked into Kirei's eyes. The room began to move whenever she did that. "Tot knows your trick now," Tot declared smugly. "Tot figured it out all by herself!"

"Shut up!" snapped Kirei. She was starting to become angry at the immature older girl. "You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Your eyes," Tot giggled happily. "You control people with your eyes!" Tot turned serious. She was ready to serve death to her victims. "Now Tot knows your secret, Tot knows how to beat you!" Tot stuck out her tongue and attacked again, this time avoiding Kirei's eyes. She focused on Kirei's body movements instead.

Somehow Yohji limped along with Kayla's help. The two of them traveled outside where Neu was still fighting against Naitsuusha. The two girls had been at each other's throats for fifteen minutes, a long battle considering it was just unarmed combat. Neither was severely injured. Naitsuusha was just about to change that.

"Asuka!" Yohji shouted when Naitsuusha summoned forth fire from her hands. "Don't hurt Asuka!"

"What are you raving about, Balinese?" Kayla shook him roughly. Her kind and polite demeanor vanished when her teammate was at stake. "That's Neu of Schreient!"

Yohji pushed her away from her to run towards the girls. "Stop hurting Asuka!" he commanded in a throaty, hoarse shout.

"Stop being an idiot, Balinese!" Kayla yanked out a silver arrow from her quiver. Neu, whose attention was solely on the woman in front of her, didn't see the arrow coming from inside the building. She received it in the side with a grunt, more of surprise than pain. Neu turned to look at the direction of Kayla, eyes burning behind her face mask.

"Falcon!" Yohji called out angrily. He tackled her to the ground. Kayla wasn't prepared for it. She didn't think Yohji would attack her like that. She began to struggle against his hold on her hankyu and his attempt to smash it.

"What are you doing?" Kayla shouted at him hysterically as Yohji pinned her down against the wall.

"I won't…let you hurt...Asuka!" Yohji bit off as he overpowered Kayla. "No one will hurt Asuka ever again!"

"You're crazy!" Kayla struggled against Yohji's grip. "Neu has to be killed! She has Abyssinian's sister hostage!"

Omi fell out the second floor window. The impact caused him to sink into the muddy ground with a loud groan. Tot jumped down to the ground in order to finish him off amid Kirei's indignant shouts. The blade of Tot's umbrella was already bloody from her fight against Kirei. Kirei's fans slashed through Tot' outfit before Tot had gotten a hold of Omi to use as a shield.

"Bye bye!" Tot smiled, stabbing Omi twice with her blade. Blood spurted out from the wounds when Tot yanked out her umbrella. Tot twirled the umbrella, holding it over her head to shield herself from the light rain. She leaned over the disarmed Omi and said softly to him, "Die fast for Tot, okay?" Tot ran towards Schreient's car as it neared them.

"Neu! Kill the bitch already!" Schön shouted angrily from inside the car. The convertible top was down and ready for an easy entrance. The backseat was empty after she dumped the large mannequins to make room for Tot and Neu.

Neu ripped the arrow out of her side soundlessly. Naitsuusha stared at Neu, awed at her high level of pain tolerance. Neu made a grab for Naitsuusha's neck to crush her windpipe. Fire flew from Naitsuusha's hands again, sizzling in the rain. Neu fought through it, going towards Naitsuusha's vulnerable neck. Naitsuusha sent a wind front to knock her backwards.

 _If fire and needles don't work, then I have to use the wind_ , Naitsuusha was determined to beat Neu with this attack. _It's the only thing she can't block._ Naitsuusha raised her hands in the air. Wind wrapped around her body and tore up the wet earth, throwing clumps of mud and rock everywhere. Everyone in the vicinity suffered from the attack. Neu slammed against the wind and she flew backwards. Naitsuusha focused harder so the wind would return to one shape. It slid under Neu and threw her higher into the air. Naitsuusha pulled away the wind and let it die away so Neu fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

"Hit her, Schön!" Hell ordered her teammate when she saw Naitsuusha was about to receive help from Aya. "Do it!"

"But Neu's right there!" Schön argued. "I'll hit her too!"

"Do it!" Hell demanded harshly. Schön paled but obeyed under Hell's cold eyes. Neu struggled to stand up despite the abuse she suffered. The car darted forward with its sudden acceleration. Naitsuusha turned o see the car bearing down on them, wheels throwing up mud in its wake.

"Raven! Get out of there!" Aya raced towards the two of them.

" _ASUKA!"_ Yohji screamed out as the white car struck both girls. He released Kayla and ran towards a window to get outside.

" _RAVEN!"_

It was strange what her mind focused on when one was about to die. Naitsuusha knew she couldn't make it out of the car's path in time. She was going to be hit, possible gravely injured or killed. But her mind blocked out the pain and all she heard was a voice shouting for her. _Was that…Fujimiya?_ Naitsuusha wondered in the time her body impacted the hood of the car and slid up. Glass surrounded her after she crashed against the car's windshield and rolled upwards and over its edge. She thought she saw Hell's stunned face and Schön's frightened one as they stopped the car to mistakably allow her to fly overhead and drop into the backseat. After that, she felt nothing at all.

"Asuka!" Yohji fell over himself to get to the spot Neu landed after she ricocheted off the hood of the car. _"ASUKA!"_

The white car belonging to Schreient drove away, leaving Neu on the ground to die beside Omi. Naitsuusha was gone, taken when Schreient fled. Karmesinrot Rache didn't know if she was dead or if Schreient would kill her if she managed to survive.

"You let them take Raven!" Kayla was crying angry tears as she went over to pound on Yohji to get through to Neu. "You saved Neu instead of Raven!"

"Get away from her," Yohji grabbed Kayla's arm and shoved her into Aya. Aya caught the younger girl in reflex, still in shock, staring at Yohji. "She's...hurt."

"You asshole!" Kayla tore free from Aya's hold to grab the arrow Neu threw to the ground. "I'll kill her!" Kayla ran forward to plunge the arrow through Neu's body but Aya's arms wrapped around her chest and waist. He lifted the short girl off the ground to prevent her from moving forward.

"She has information," Aya rationalized despite his anger at Yohji for botching their mission. True, Schreient had been playing them since the beginning but things could have gone much better without Yohji's disloyalty.

"What the hell are you all doing standing around when Bombay's dying?" Kirei's angry shout brought their attention to the bleeding boy.

"Bombay!" Aya raced over to help stop the blood loss. Omi gave him a weak smile despite the pain clearly written across his face.

"Doesn't hurt at all," he whispered bravely at the sight of everyone's grim faces. "Not one bit."

"It's not deep enough to be fatal," said Kirei as she inspected the wound carefully. "But we should get medical assistance anyway."

"Let's go," said Aya as he lifted Omi up.

"Siberian and Panther are still missing in action," said Kirei worriedly. "We need to find them."

"You're right," said Kayla, her anger replaced by concern.

"Asuka has to go to the hospital too," said Yohji, carrying Neu in his arms.

At the sound of his tenderness towards Neu, Kayla's anger returned full force. She moved like she would attack Yohji again but Kirei grabbed her older friend's hand. Kayla took several deep breaths, calming down. "We should get going now," Kayla said icily, stomping off towards their mission cars.

They reached the wreckage of the truck to find Jade and Ken on the edge of the destruction. Ken suffered a sprained wrist and dislocated shoulder from his fall. Jade had a large bump on her head despite the helmet's protection. Both of their motorcycles worked fine.

Ken explained it was not Hell in the truck. She switched places with someone and neither one noticed. Kayla explained Hell was with Schön in the white car and what happened to Neu and Naitsuusha. Jade raged loudly for all of Tokyo to hear at Yohji's actions. Kirei insisted on immediate medical attention for Omi. Jade and Kayla took the motorcycles since Ken's injuries wouldn't allow him to steer. Kayla's Sight would get her safely through the city streets. Kirei would drive Karmesinrot Rache's mission car to the hospital with Ken inside. Jade refused to allow Yohji to bring Neu inside her car so Yohji and Neu went with Omi in Aya's car.

The plan was for Kayla to take Ken's motorcycle back to the shop while Kirei dropped Ken off at the hospital. Kirei would come back for Kayla and Jade. When that was settled, the eight got on their way.

Yohji went too far with his "Asuka" obsession and it cost both teams dearly. Not only did the plan fail, they lost Naitsuusha to Schreient. Would Schreient even care about leaving Neu behind? After all, it was Schön who tried to kill Naitsuusha even if Neu was in the way.

Aya tried not to look in the backseat because he knew Yohji cradled Neu against his chest, calling for her to wake up. An ugly look crossed Aya's face each time Yohji murmured "Asuka" in a gentle voice. Was it obsession? Devotion? Was Yohji wrong to cherish the memory of his dead lover? Aya's mind was full of questions without easy answers. But he knew Neu could not be the same woman Yohji loved in the past. Yohji was only fooling himself because he couldn't move forward.

 _Tomoe Sakura_ , Aya's breath caught in his throat at the name. He hadn't spoken to her in weeks. Wasn't he the same way when he first saw Sakura and how she resembled his sister? _No, it wasn't! I didn't believe Sakura_ was _Aya! I knew they were two different people!_ Aya told himself. But that same voice admonished him, _But you knew Aya was still alive. If Aya's body was never found and you saw Sakura, it would be the same way. You wouldn't have helped her if she didn't resemble Aya. You would have ignored her like you ignored every female who wasn't your sister._

There would be more moral questions to plague Aya later. He helped Omi out of his car and brought him inside Magicbus Hospital with Yohji and Neu following.


	35. Mission 09 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 09 Gift – Poison (Lost of Reason)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-27-04

* * *

Jade was exhausted in all ways possible; she was drained mentally, physically, and spiritually. Jade silently cursed their situation. _I should have been there! I could have stopped them! Tsuu and I could have fought Neu together and kicked her ass. If I had my telepathy, I could have figured out it was only two people inside that car, not four!_ Jade never felt so useless in her life. She relied far too much on her telepathy and gotten careless. It was a hard lesson to learn.

Jade parked her motorcycle in the garage and took off her helmet. She let it drop to cold concrete floor. She leaned over the handles with a long sigh from the depths of her heavy heart. She smelled the wet rain in her hair as it cascaded over her shoulders in matted strands. Her body started to fail her. She needed to rest but her mind wouldn't let her.

Jade got off her motorcycle with a tired groan to go inside the empty house. _This wouldn't do_ , Jade thought as she opened the door to the hallway. _I need to get Tsuu back from Schreient as soon as possible. Now Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache both lost someone to Schreient._ Jade walked into their living room. Another groan escaped her lips at the sight of their comfortable sofa. Jade went to it, hoping to rest before Kirei came to pick her up.

For a split second, she stopped walking. Her senses picked up something foreign. _Danger!_ But that split second was all he needed. The heavy, quick blow came from her right and connected with her head. She stumbled, stars spinning in her vision.

A loud _snikt_ sounded in the quiet room. Jade turned, hands searching desperately for her no dachi only to grasp at emptiness. It was still strapped to her motorcycle in the garage. Her attacker tackled her. She fell on her back, blind-sided by leather-bound muscle. A heavy boot stomped down on her when she struggled to push herself upright. Jade followed the boot up the leg covered by tight black leather, higher to the bondage blue vest until she gasped at the sight of a tall man with silver hair that seemed to glow.

 _Farfarello…,_ Jade thought before she sailed away on ocean of darkness to later awaken to an entire world of pain.

* * *

Kirei was frantic, on the verge of hysterics at the discovery Jade was missing. Kayla was barely holding onto her own rationality. The two youngest girls of Karmesinrot Rache sat with Aya, Ken, and Omi in Weiß's living room. It was very late, hours after their unprecedented failure at Mitara's warehouse.

"There was blood," Kirei said to the three men in a rushed voice. "I saw blood on the floor of the living room. I don't know where she is! Jade wouldn't leave the house. She knew she had to wait for us so we could all go to Magicbus Hospital."

Kayla agreed, "It doesn't make sense!" Ken hugged her around the shoulders in comfort. "She can't just disappear after returning home! I mean, she does sometimes but not this time!"

"I'm confused about what you just said," Aya interrupted. "What do you mean Akikou disappears but not this time?"

"Jade likes to go on drives. It's a personal retreat for her," explained Kayla. She didn't know how she could talk so calmly. She felt like she should be like Kirei, senses scattered to the four corners of the world. "She needs them when things get too hard on her. But she wouldn't leave us to go on a drive when Tsuu's kidnapped by Schreient."

"Kayla-san is right. It doesn't make sense," said Omi who was holding onto Kirei's hand in comfort. "Akikou-san was very upset by the news. The action of running away is not like her."

"What other possibilities are there?" Aya asked the two girls. Things were getting worse by the hour. They lost Naitsuusha and now Jade. Yohji secluded himself in his apartment with Neu. Aya felt disgusted at the thought of Yohji tending to Neu. He hadn't shown his face to them since their return.

"Maybe Schreient again?" suggested Ken. "They could have figured out where you lived."

"That's impossible," said Kayla firmly. "No one could do that."

"It's not impossible," said Aya flatly, killing Kirei's confidence with a hard look. "Schreient is capable of beating us through precise planning. They knew what our mission plans were. They were ready for us. Maybe they were able to find out where you lived."

"Jade would have sensed them," said Kayla.

"Would she?" Kirei murmured to Kayla, sounding unsure. "Jade is healing slowly since her injury and we all know her abilities are restricted if she's tired. Maybe she didn't sense them."

"I don't believe that," said Kayla stubbornly.

"I know you don't want to but you can't shoot it down," said Ken. "If the location of your home is compromised, you can't return there."

"You need to find a safe place to stay," Aya said.

"You could stay here," offered Ken.

"No, Schwarz knows of Koneko No Sume Ie," said Omi, remembering his conversation with Schuldig in broad daylight. "We're not safe either if Schwarz wants to take a stroll down the block."

"Now what?" Ken asked Aya. "Where can we go to avoid being seen by Schwarz?"

Aya thought hard. It would take time to get in touch with Manx. Kritiker no longer contacted them on a regular basis to perform missions. Weiß must act immediately. "Villa White," said Aya finally. "We can move there."

"We can go to Tsuu's old place," Kirei sighed. "It's far from the city and we should be safe until we contact Chimera."

Omi didn't want to bring the next topic up but it was necessary. They couldn't relocate until they knew Yohji was trustworthy. "Do we tell Yohji-kun?"

"I'll handle that," said Aya. "But we should all stay here tonight. Omi and Ken, get some spare pillows and blankets out for your…friends and they can sleep in the living room." Kayla and Kirei gave Aya a grateful look, knowing he had done them a huge favor in allowing them to stay.

* * *

Tot glared at Hell, pointing to the unconscious Naitsuusha, floating in a pressurized tank of water with her hands tied in back of her. It was a safety precaution created by Hell who knew of Naitsuusha's abilities to cause fire and wind. Any threat from Naitsuusha would cause Hell to pump water into the tank until the girl drowned.

"Why is she here? Where's Neu?" Tot demanded angrily. "Bring Neu back for Tot!"

"Neu's gone, Tot," said Hell as she monitored their progress. "Let me work."

"No!" Tot shouted loudly. "Bring Neu back!"

"Tot, shut up!" Schön snapped from her spot beside Hell. The supermodel turned assassin looked horrible. Her creamy white skin was blotchy from the mental trauma she suffered after being forced to hit Neu. Was it worth it to kill Neu in order to win? The answer should easily be yes but Schön couldn't bear it. Schön glared at the Kundalini sacrifice and swore she would wake up the girl so Fujimiya Aya could face relentless pain and torture. _Killing your brother is not enough. I'll make you suffer too_ , Schön thought vengefully.

Tot sobbed freely at being ignored by Hell and yelled at by Schön. "Tot hates you!" she shouted hysterically. She ran upstairs to her bedroom.

However, things would work out for Schreient in a way they didn't expect. Harrison walked through the door after Tot exited the laboratory. He heard everything. "When she said she hated you two, she really meant it," Harrison remarked calmly.

"How did you get in here?" Hell's hand went to the shuriken on the table.

Harrison smiled into her green eyes. "You don't mind me being here, do you?"

"No." Hell retracted her hand away from her shuriken.

"The reason I'm here is that I am missing some bodyguards who are sworn to protect Tokizo-san." Harrison frowned at the sight of them. "Where is Neu? I allowed Schön and Neu to return to complete an assignment. They were supposed to be back in Morioka hours ago."

"We had problems," said Schön, her voice breaking.

"I noticed," said Harrison as he walked over to Fujimiya Aya. He placed his hand on hers and tried to read her feelings. It didn't surprise him that she didn't have any. It felt similar to a plant. "This is Eszet's prize? What a skinny, ugly girl."

"She's more important to Eszet than you are," snapped Hell. "Don't touch her."

Harrison smiled at Hell. Hell's anger was as brilliant and beautiful as fireworks. Schön's guilt was so bitter, Harrison felt he needed to rinse his mouth out. _But what is this?_ Harrison turned away from Schreient to the water tank. _What are you longing for?_ Harrison peered into the dark contents of the tank. A pale face with closed eyes was visible through the circular window. Her black hair floated on the waves of the water around her head like a dark halo.

"Who is this?" Harrison asked, curious.

"Nobody," said Hell peevishly. "Leave her alone."

Harrison's smile dropped away as he turned to face Hell. "Who is she?" he asked again, forcing waves of cooperation onto the two women of Schreient.

"Raven of Karmesinrot Rache," Schön murmured against her will. "She fought against Neu. We lost Neu."

Harrison's eyes narrowed. "They're not dead?" he asked gruffly. "Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß are alive?"

"Schwarz failed." Hell said in the same halting way. Her mouth was cooperating against her will.

"Schwarz failed?" laughed Harrison scornfully. "Of course they failed!" This news was too good to be true. Schreient had Raven of Karmesinrot Rache hostage! And the little sister of Abyssinian from Weiß! Schreient might be the best assassination team working for Eszet at this rate. Even better than Schwarz!

Harrison leaned over Naitsuusha's body. _I will find out all about Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß from this one. Eszet will finally see who they really are._ He turned back to Hell, easy smile tacked on his face. He knew Eszet would adore Schreient for bringing about the deaths of Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß. But they would need his assistance so when Schreient would look haughtily upon Schwarz's failure, he would be behind in the shadows holding onto their puppet strings.

* * *

Weiß tried their best to be hospitable under the grave circumstances. Kirei and Kayla camped out in the living room on the sofa with a warm blanket and soft pillow each. Omi and Ken tried to stay with them but one look of disapproval from Aya sent both boys scurrying to their rooms.

Kirei couldn't sleep and she knew it. Why fight the fact that she could never sleep unless she had her oversized blue jersey on? It was a safety blanket, a memento she salvaged from the past. Kirei knew it seemed childish but it made her more comfortable in the darkness. Kayla chose to remain awake to talk with Kirei in a low voice.

"Are you cold?" Kayla asked, facing Kirei by laying on her side. "Do you want my blanket?"

"No, thank you," Kirei said softly. "I'm fine. Keep the blanket for yourself. It's a cold night."

"I'm not cold," said Kayla. It was true. The girl grew up in warm climates and somehow her body never seemed to be bothered by the winter season. "It'll be okay," reassured Kayla. "Once morning comes, we'll head over to Tsuu's old place and move in. It'll be fun."

Kirei smiled in appreciation at Kayla's optimism. Kirei admired the older girl's ability to think clearly. They were on their own. Chimera could not be contacted directly for new orders or assistance. Chimera would not be pleased when he found out Jade and Naitsuusha had been lost. "I'm worried about them," admitted Kirei in a choked voice. "I've always thought Tsuu and Jade were invincible. They were assassins longer than we were. Tsuu's been doing this since she was thirteen! Jade was sixteen when she started. I thought we would never ever be defeated with their leadership. Maybe it was our mistake after all."

"I bet Jade and Tsuu messed up tons of time in the beginning but they managed to get out of it," Kayla said firmly as she pulled the blanket closer around her upper body.

"I don't know," said Kirei uncertainly. "But that's Tsuu and Jade. Maybe we wouldn't be able to save them!"

"Kirei," Kayla sat up. "You're not being realistic. We are going to save Tsuu no matter what!"

"What about Jade?" Kirei asked. "We don't know where she is!"

"Once morning comes, we are going to scour the entire city to find them!" declared Kayla firmly. "Try to get some sleep. We've got a lot of work to do."

Kirei snuggled under the blanket and closed her eyes for Kayla's benefit. She knew Kayla wouldn't fall asleep until she did. She counted the minutes until she drifted into the stage between sleep and consciousness. But deep sleep wouldn't come to her troubled mind. Images of Jade and Naitsuusha being tortured by the enemy kept her awake.

* * *

The room got lighter as the morning hours arrived. Neu's blue eyes flickered around the room, taking in everything. Neu was dressed in one of Yohji's long sleeved shirts and her legs were bare. "Yohji?" she asked timidly, reaching for his arm. She curled up against Yohji's back, seeking his comforting warmth.

"What is it, Asuka?" Yohji asked sleepily, turning to wrap his arms around her body.

"That's…not my name." Neu was confused and frightened but the warmth of his body felt wonderful. How long had she gone without intimate contact like this?

"It is!" Yohji said fiercely, holding Neu close to him. "Asuka, don't you remember?"

"Bits and pieces…I can't make any sense out of it," said Neu brokenly. To her surprise, sincere tears welled up in her eyes. "It's scary. I can't…remember my name."

"Murase Asuka," said Yohji firmly. "Tomorrow, I'll get you some of your old clothes. You'll see I'm right." _Asuka, don't let the memories of me disappear. I'll help you bring them back and we'll be together again_ , Yohji thought determinedly. He knew this was Asuka. There was no doubt in his mind Murase Asuka was in his arms.

Ken and Kayla were in the kitchen together, working on breakfast for the large group. Kirei was folding the blankets graciously lent to them while Omi made a list of things they would need at Villa White. "Food," reminded Kirei lightly after reading over his shoulder. "I'm pretty sure you need food."

"I can't believe I forgot!" Omi said frantically. Kirei used his list to make mental notes on the things they would need as well.

A loud slamming of a door indicated the entrance of the other three occupants of Weiß's home. Ken and Kayla came running out of the kitchen, both in aprons from cooking.

"Aya!" Yohji shouted furiously. Everyone became stiff at the sight of Aya's angry violet eyes.

"Tell them!" Aya demanded to Neu whose arm he had in his tight grip. "Where's my sister and Naitsuusha?!"

"I don't know!" Neu screamed at him, crying hard as she collapsed on the floor.

"Aya-kun, she's crying," Omi said softly.

"It's an act!" Aya released her arm with a look of disgust aimed at Yohji. "She's faking it! This is Neu, Yohji!"

"Asuka!" Yohji shoved Aya roughly to get to Neu. He kneeled beside Neu and wiped away her tears delicately. "She's trying to remember!" He shot everyone a deadly glare. "Let her remember!"

"Tell us where Raven is!" demanded Kayla, walking forward. She was sick at the sight of Yohji taking care of the enemy. It wasn't compassion. It was pure obsession. "She knows where Schreient is!"

"Schreient?" Neu whispered fearfully and she cringed, clutching at her savior. She turned towards Yohji and continued crying. "I can't! I can't!"

"Why not?" asked Kirei, hands on her hips. Her hunter green eyes blazed in suspicion. "You work with them!"

"I don't remember, Yohji!" Neu buried her face in her hands.

"We're leaving!" Yohji picked up Neu and began to carry her out. "I have things I need to do today with Asuka."

Kirei had a look of pure murder on her face. She couldn't believe how Yohji could become a traitor so fast. "Isn't he ashamed of himself?" Kirei asked bitterly. "Doesn't he know how dangerous Neu is?"

"Yohji-kun really loved Asuka-san when he used to be a private investigator. Asuka-san was someone precious to him. We can't ignore that," explained Omi, sneaking glances at Aya who had turned to stone. "He knows what needs to be done but he has his own way."

Omi's words mirrored the confused thoughts Aya had been having. He knew his little sister was alive so that was why he didn't obsess over Sakura Tomoe. The same situation could be applied to any of them.

"Um, breakfast is ready," said Ken, trying to break the tense atmosphere.

Kirei allowed Omi to lead her into the kitchen. Aya skipped breakfast and went to work on the list Omi left behind.

* * *

Kirei glowed at the sight of the large house from inside their red mission car. It was Naitsuusha's family home before she joined Karmesinrot Rache. After the death of her parents and Gabriel, she lived there alone before Chimera found her.

"Are you ready to go inside, Kayla?" Kirei asked her friend. Kayla answered with an affirmative. They entered the living space. Most of the heavy furniture was still in pristine condition. The house was three floors with the addition luxury of a clean attic.

"The access panel to restart the security system should be in this room," said Kayla, turning around slowly to take in the quiet atmosphere. Memories, fond and horrific, laid in invisible layers on every surface.

"I remember where it is," said Kirei confidently. "Tsuu showed me before." Kirei removed a thin slab of wall concealing the access panel. She entered the password "nacht" and all the lights in the house turned on. "If we're going to customize the security of this place, we need to get into Tsuu's office on the second floor." Kirei quickly grabbed Kayla's arm and led her upstairs.

As they passed by, Kirei noted the rooms they would use. The guest rooms were unlocked but stripped bare of everything but a desk or table and a large bed. After Kirei hooked up office computer to Karmesinrot Rache's mission laptop, Kayla accessed the files through her supplementary Braille-based programs with ease.

 _Once Kayla has the security system up and running, we should be safe here until we rescue Jade and Tsuu_ , thought Kirei as she unpacked Kayla's things and filled the closet methodically _._

Kirei turned towards the window at the sound of an approaching car. She parted the curtains to see a white Porsche climbing the hill towards the front of the house. "What?" Kirei went to open the door just to see Aya level a glower at the large house. Omi waved to Kirei with a sheepish look on his face. Ken was just getting out, pulling luggage and bags in his trail. "Why are you all here?" Kirei wanted to know, running down the steps. "Aren't you supposed to be at Villa White?"

"Kritiker failed to tell us that Villa White was razed to the ground," said Ken somberly with occupied hands. "We found its ruins when we got there."

"You're joking!" gasped out Kirei. "When did it happen?"

"Recently," said Aya darkly. Had it be Schwarz or Schreient? Villa White was the only place left available for them. After Ken, Omi, and Aya had found it was destroyed, they had to come here. Aya would never ask. Omi or Ken would since _their_ pride wasn't as esteemed as Aya's.

"Can we stay with you?" Ken asked for them. "We really don't have any place to go."

"It's fine with me." Kirei gave a welcoming smile. She beckoned for them to come inside with her. "What about Kudou-san and Neu?" She said the female's name with loathing.

"I haven't been able to contact him. He turned his cell phone off," Omi explained worriedly. "I think they'll return to Koneko No Sume Ie."

"They have no back-up if Schreient attacks them. Tell him to come over here," Kirei offered. She didn't want Neu living with them but they couldn't allow Neu to escape either.

"We brought food," said Omi cheerfully. "It's in the trunk of Aya-kun's car so you don't need to buy any."

"Kayla and I need clothes…among other things," said Kirei cautiously. "We should find Kudou-san in Tokyo and bring him back with us. Omi-kun, can you help Kayla set up the security system? Ken-san, do you want to come with me to Tokyo?"

Both boys agreed cheerfully. Aya gave Kirei a annoyed look for taking charge of his team and leaving him out of the arrangement. "What should I do?"

"Er, you can start unpacking everyone's things!" advised Kirei smartly. "Let me give a quick tour of Tsuu's place before we go to Tokyo."

The first floor had the main living room, open-air kitchen, dining room, two studies, a vast library, two tiny bathrooms, and storage rooms. The second floor had the bedrooms, more bathrooms, a playroom, and Naitsuusha's personal office. Kirei showed Aya all the guest bedrooms available and told them to take their pick.

"Ken-san and I are going to Tokyo to look for Kudou-san," Kirei explained their plans to Kayla before she left Omi and Kayla in the office. "Start dinner without us if we're late!"

Kayla acknowledged her friend's words and spent the next hour in Naitsuusha's office, setting up the security system with Omi's help. She was disturbed by the protocols. It was unfamiliar to her, something completely alien from Chimera's systems. It was explained by Omi's outburst.

"This is Kritiker's system!" Omi exclaimed in shock when the security system loaded for him. He could recognize Kritiker's work anywhere. "Why is Kritiker's system in this house?"

"I'm not sure," Kayla shrugged. "This is Tsuu's place."

"Let me try something?" Omi took over the terminal and began working rapidly. Kritiker usually registered the original installer of the system. As a trained Kritiker assassin and hacker, Omi knew the procedures to find out such information within his own organization. Kayla waited patiently since she couldn't see what Omi was doing. Omi's second outburst was of success. "Gabriel Anderson?" Omi gaped at the name that appeared on the screen after his searching. "Isn't that Fushiro-san's brother?"

"It is," Kayla said. The name was familiar after Brad Crawford explained a little bit of the Crawford history but she knew Naitsuusha was hiding a lot of her past from her team. Kayla knew the discovery was significant but like Omi, she didn't know how significant.

Aya explored the house. Kirei told him he could unpack his things but Aya didn't feel like taking orders from a seventeen year old girl. He didn't want to stay here but they had no choice. He stayed on the first floor, taking his time to look at the rooms.

The spacious living room was made for sitting for long periods of time in its old days of use. It had a lavish fireplace and mantle made from white stone along one wall. A stack of dry, splintering wood stood beside the grate that kept the sparking embers from flying out. Aya, always with an eye for detail due to working in the flower industry, inspected the mantle. A row of small holes in the wall indicated the removal of nails. Their disappearance took away the family portraits and photographs above the fireplace. Aya turned, pulling away from the grip of someone else's nostalgia to see an empty television cabinet facing the largest cloth-covered sofa.

The dining room table was in built of good quality wood in a plain style. He ran a finger to remove the thin layer of dust, creating a streak in the gray-white powder. Eight chairs covered in plastic lined the edges of the table and they were in the same state as the dining room table.

Aya wasn't interested in the kitchen so he passed it up. The locked study caught his attention but after failing to open the door by force, he moved on in disappointment. He moved onto the library and was stunned by its thoroughness. He immerged himself in the stacks of books and froze in front of a bookcase at the sight of Martin Heidegger's Being and Time.

 _It was the book she recommended_ , Aya thought sourly. _This is her house. I can't believe Villa White was destroyed and Kritiker wasn't aware of it._ He reached for the book but pulled his traitorous hand away after a second thought. Aya walked out of the study and went upstairs to see how Omi was doing.

Omi and Kayla were just about done with the security system. Some parts were impossible to adjust so the locked rooms remained that way. The only person who knew of all the codes and had all the keycards was the owner of the house.

"We did our best," said Kayla, standing up. "I hope Kirei's okay with Ken-san in the city."

"They'll be fine," reassured Omi. "Ken-kun and Kirei will be back soon."

"Did you choose a room yet, Tsukiyono-kun?" Kayla asked him. "How about you, Fujimiya-san?"

"It's Omi, not Tsukiyono," said Omi, feeling sorry for being so late to allow the others to know they were now all friends. They should all be on a first name basis after all they've been through. Kayla smiled at him and told him to use her first name as well. Aya begrudgingly did the same when both looked at him expectantly.


	36. Mission 09 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 09 Gift – Poison (Lost of Reason)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-27-04

* * *

Yohji sat in a diner overlooking a very placid Tokyo Bay. Neu sat before him, dressed in a prim white shirt and black pants. A white hat with a short brim sat on top of her blue hair at a proper angle and she used the short brim to its best to hide her frightened eyes. The area was unfamiliar and Yohji was gazing at her with an odd light in his eyes. She had a cup of cooling coffee in front of her. He ordered it for her, knowing how she liked it with two creams and four sugars.

"Yohji?" Neu said softly, playing with the napkins nervously. "Do you trust me?"

"I don't have any reason not to, Asuka," Yohji said sincerely as he took out enough money to pay the bill. "When you remember who you are, you'll trust me too."

"But Yohji," Neu looked into his eyes earnestly. " I _do_ trust you! Even though I can't remember everything...I want to remember you."

Yohji placed his wallet on the table. "Asuka." Yohji grasped Neu's hands and held them tightly. "Are you saying that you don't want to work for Schreient?"

Asuka flinched at the name. "I don't remember… I know that's something bad. All I know is that I want to be with you, Yohji."

"Isn't that sweet?" Kirei said as her shadow fell over the table. She stood over Yohji and Asuka with a poisonous sneer on her face. Ken had a mixed reaction, embarrassment for interrupting the conversation and disgust for the way Neu was playing Yohji.

"How about you tell us what we need to know before declaring your undying love, Neu?" Kirei asked with a fake smile.

"We need to get out of here, Yohji," said Ken nervously. They were starting to draw the attention of the other patrons. "Villa White's destroyed and we're not staying at the store either."

"Why should I go with you two?" Yohji gave them a cool look. "I still have some things I need to do."

"We're not going back without you," Kirei warned dangerously. "I'm armed and I'm not playing around. Not this time. Tsuu's life is on the line and I'm not going to exchange it for Neu's. So unless you have a death wish, you better come with me."

Yohji got out of his chair slowly and stood up to his full height to glare down at the headstrong girl. Despite the incredible gap, Kirei's hunter green eyes were completely without fear. She would win her fight even if she had to kill Yohji in the process. Yohji, smarter than Jade would ever give him credit for, believed her threats. His left hand went to his watch.

Neu followed the motion with her eyes. "Stop! Yohji!" Neu said fearfully, standing up and wrapping her hands over his watch. "I'm tired. Let's go back with them."

Yohji and Kirei's staring contest was ended by Neu's interruption to Ken's relief. If they chose to fight in this crowded restaurant, the consequences would be disastrous.

"I'm tired too, Asuka," Yohji said, giving Ken and Kirei a dark look to tell them he meant he was getting tired of working with them.

* * *

Merache alone knew what happened to Panther last night and who kidnapped her. Karmesinrot Rache would not return to the house after discovering the location was unsafe. Merache followed Viper and Falcon to a store called Koneko No Sume Ie.

Koneko No Sume Ie was a front for Kritiker. Four bachelor men living and working together in a flower shop was every hormonal teenage girl's fantasy. No one was living there anymore by nightfall. The occupants along with Karmesinrot Rache vanished without a trace. "Seito forest," Merache scrolled through the lands he owned as Chimera's public face. He saw Panther on his land. There must be a reason for her to come here. There were no buildings around here. The records listed everything as forest. So that meant the records were lying. An expensive bribe or skilled hacker could remove the records of homeowners. Merache pulled up a plot of land where he suspected Panther visited on her excursion. He would have to manually search the area for roads or buildings.

 _But why am I doing this? Am I really planning on telling them what happened to Panther?,_ Merache asked himself as he worked. He owed allegiance to Chimera and the organization. _Shouldn't Chimera be contacting Karmesinrot Rache about Panther's abduction? Unless they didn't know about it yet or didn't care._ He couldn't decide but did resolve himself to find out where they're staying at least. By the time he located them, maybe Chimera would have made a move.

Hell let an exhausted sigh escape her lips. The number and words were a mess in her uncomprehending mind. For now, she tore her eyes off the diagnostics transmitted by the life support system. Schön went to bed hours ago, ignoring Hell's protests she still needed her help. Hell reminded Schön of their plan but Schön wouldn't have any of it. The sight of Neu lying on the muddy ground scarred her. Schön was faltering now, doubting their success. Tot could not understand the complex plot of sacrificing one of them to lure their enemies into a trap because of her mental state. Hell hated feeling so alone.

"It's your brother's fault," Hell spat hatefully to the silent girl in the room with her. "Your brother should have died the first time! If he did, I wouldn't need to keep you alive." The entrance of Schwarz tested Hell's last nerve. "What is it?" Hell demanded at the sight of Crawford, Schuldig, and Nagi. "We have the girl and you already made sure of that. What more do you want from us?"

"Eszet will perform the Kundalini experiment on the night of the next new moon," Brad informed the leader of Schreient. "They will want to see the girl for themselves before they start the ceremony. She needs to be purified."

"You can't take her now!" Hell shouted angrily. "I just got her settled into the system!"

"We're not taking her yet." Schuldig smirked with a hint of condescension. "We're just here to let you know you can't keep her forever."

"I don't want to keep her forever!" Hell shot a loathing look at the sleeping girl. "I want to kill this bitch as soon as possible," Hell stated with disgust. "Once Masufumi is returned to me, Eszet can have her."

Crawford looked at Hell grimly. "Eszet will return Mr. Takatori's son when the time is right."

"You're not taking this girl unless I have Masufumi," Hell threatened. "If you try, I'll kill her."

"Then Masufumi will die," Nagi argued rationally. "And so will you."

"There's no life without Masufumi," Hell responded darkly. "You can tell Eszet that if they lie, Schreient will kill the sacrifice and themselves."

"You can't force Tot to do that!" Nagi barely refrained from shouting, starting forward but Schuldig's arm stopped his advance. "You don't speak for her!"

Hell glared down at the young naïve boy. He was the one with a crush on their precious Tot. Nagi had been a distraction to the cause. "What do you _know_ about Tot? Did she tell you anything about herself? Or do you like how she looks? Tot's not an idiot to fall in love with you. She loves Masufumi first and foremost! You're just an afterthought!"

Nagi's face twisted jealousy. Schuldig could sense Nagi's gathering telekinesis. _Nagi, it's not time yet,_ Schuldig interceded.

"Schwarz will take our leave now," Crawford said over Nagi's fuming. "We will pass on your message."

"That's the smartest thing you've said since I met you." Hell sneered at Schwarz's leader fearlessly.

Schuldig scoffed at her, the noise stirring Nagi's anger. _You're not smart at all. Eszet will reply with an answer, all right. Get ready to kill yourselves._ Schuldig guided Nagi towards the door so he wouldn't see the haughty look Hell threw at them. He continued speaking to draw Nagi's attention solely to him, "We should find Farfarello. He wasn't home today."

Schuldig and Nagi left first, Crawford following with a preoccupied air. Hell's daring proclamation made him suspicious. Schreient had never been that bold towards Schwarz before. They might have the Kundalini sacrifice at their disposal but there was something more going on.

"Crawford, are you getting any visions of Farfarello?" Schuldig asked him. He had his arm thrown over Nagi's thin shoulders. The close contact of his cool attitude aided Nagi in forgetting Hell's snubs. "Nagi and I don't know where he is. The reports of dead church members stopped."

"Farfarello should return soon. He knows our schedule."

"Maybe he's in the shack," Nagi suggested helpfully, his sense of duty returned.

"Shack?" Schuldig repeated, thinking of the dilapidated structure. "Near the pond?"

"Yes," Nagi replied with a nod. "Farfarello might be in here."

"It's worth a try," shrugged Schuldig, releasing Nagi as they got into Crawford's car. "I'll go over there when we get home."

Nagi turned towards Schreient's house and thought he could see Tot staring at him from behind her curtains as they pulled away from the back gate. Schuldig glanced over at Nagi and sighed inwardly. He could tell he was longing for Tot without trying to read Nagi's mind. It was all over his face. _Mein Gott, Nagi needs a real girlfriend._ Schuldig turned to see Crawford staring at the road. _Crawford wouldn't let those two be together. It would ruin his perfect plans. But no plan is ever perfect. Nagi, I'm going to help you hook up with Tot. Just to see what happens. It'll be fun._ Schuldig settled himself in the seat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes.

"Schuldig," Crawford warned him in a low voice. Schuldig rolled his eyes and placed them back into his pocket.

* * *

Aya gingerly thumbed through Martin Heidegger's _Being and Time_ in the middle of the night. The moonlight did not make it through the massing nighttime clouds so the desk lamp gave him its warmth and light to read. Aya wouldn't sleep in the strange bed. Sleeping was betrayal and losing to Naitsuusha's melancholy home. Everyone else was in their room but he sought his sanctuary here. The library was divided in sections and each shelf on the bookcase was labeled for the appropriate genre.

Heidegger's _Being and Time_ came from the philosophy section into his hands because Aya's curiosity was stirred from its dormant sleep. His boredom decreased when he stepped into the dark library, drinking in the sight of all the literature. Aya flipped past the first few pages, ignoring the table of contents until he got the introduction. He found himself to be neutral towards the writer's views. He assumed he would have to finish the entire book to make a decision. He closed the book and fingered the worn spine. Whoever had owned it must have read it many times. Aya turned the book so it faced him again and he opened it to read the short dedication.

"I pray this book becomes your favorite like it has become mine. With love, Gabriel." Aya's eyes narrowed as he dropped the book on the table with a soft grunt of anger. _I shouldn't have taken it off the shelf,_ Aya thought morosely as he shoved the book back in the bookcase. As Aya tried to slide it into its proper place, the corner of the book caught the shelf and fell from his grasp. It landed on the floor with a muffled thump, opening to a highlighted page. Aya reclaimed the book to read the writing in the margins of the book, wondering if it was Gabriel or Naitsuusha's handwriting.

"Now I'm being nosy," Aya said in disgust to the silent room. He left the library with a troubled mind and a stolen philosophy book. He was in a strange house full of secrets and memories. It was haunting and bittersweet like a bed of dead flowers whose scent still lingered in a misty cloud. He paused outside the shared bedroom of Yohji and Neu.

His anger flared skywards and he gripped the doorknob with a shaking hand. His sister's face filled his eyes. Aya grappled with his emotions in the darkness of the hallway where no one could see his stony demeanor broken. He released the knob with difficulty. He bypassed his room to enter the home office like he was being called there.

Naitsuusha's computer sat on the desk. Omi and Kayla worked for hours, customizing the security system for their benefit. But they hadn't been to access all the rooms. They were unable to determine the complex series of passwords to unlock the secrets of this house.

"Anderson-san," said Omi a little hesitatingly to be speaking of Naitsuusha's dead brother over their plain dinner, "installed the system himself."

Aya's fingers rested on the keys and started to type words that entered his mind. None of them were the correct series of passwords but he kept trying. _Would the passwords be related to each other or different?_ Aya mulled over the personality of Fushiro Naitsuusha. She wore two different masks and he had seen them both. What did Aya know about her that would aid in his quest? He stared at the screen, his violet eyes threatening to bore a hole through plastic and metal as he concentrated on the facts he knew. The two younger girls of Karmesinrot Rache weren't able to bypass the system. That would mean that they didn't know Naitsuusha as well as they thought. The girl did like to hide her secrets...like her books.

Aya's gaze dropped to the book. Martin Heidegger's _Being and Time_ was a hefty work, clearly not for light reading. Aya slowly worked his way through the pages, marking each page with writing in the margins. One by one, Aya entered the passwords after reading the underlined or highlighted sentences. The ink color varied but the handwriting was consistent. One by one, the rooms unlocked as he entered the override codes.

 _Now_ _it is time to see who Fushiro Naitsuusha really is._ The doorknob to Naitsuusha's old room turned freely as a result of Aya's success. Aya paused in pushing open the door. He shouldn't be snooping into her business. But he had gone too far to stop.

Aya held his conviction and turned on the lights, not knowing if he expected more alarms or otherworldly demons. What he _did_ get was an ordinary room with light blue wallpaper tacked over with so many framed photographs of a happy family like a giant photo album. Her past and present were so different. What had made her forget her name was Naitsuusha? What made her call her body Nanami until her past became buried under the lies?

Aya inspected the small vanity table beside the bed. The oval mirror reflected the desk behind him. A desk calendar was marked up. Aya leaned closer to read the childish handwriting. June and July stood side by side. June 21st was marked as Naitsuusha's thirteenth birthday. Aya followed the paper trail of captured time towards the closet. The only piece of clothing in the closet, in the entire household before their arrival, was a dark blue kimono with a black obi folded across the same hanger. Aya peered closer at the fabric, recognizing something and not wanting to believe it. But the awful truth prevailed. He reeled from the bloodstained gown, its joyous essence drowned out by tears and blood.

 _Whose blood is that?_ Aya wondered, reaching for the material carefully. Naitsuusha hadn't tried to wash it out. The stains were completely dried, dying the silk reddish purple. He pulled the stiff kimono off the hanger and checked to see if it was whole. The cloth was unharmed, only stained. It hadn't been Naitsuusha's blood. The amount of blood on the cloth indicated a fatal wound.

Then Aya remembered. Naitsuusha's memories were as violent as his own. _Gabriel Anderson died. This was his blood._ Aya placed the kimono hurriedly back into the closet after a sacrilegious feeling tormented him for touching the object. He closed the door guiltily. Aya left the room, closing the doors behind him. What had he done? Aya closed his eyes against his own fears of people breaking apart his world. He realized too late how the personal trespass would be received by its room's owner. But her past plagued him until he surrendered to the things he learned.

* * *

Yohji perched on the edge on his bed, anxiety and encouragement on his face. Neu was the on verge of telling him the information Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß desperately needed to know. "Asuka?" Yohji gripped Neu's arms in his hands, holding her still as she struggled with the name. "Who?"

"Tokizo," Neu recalled the last person she worked for. She fought tooth and nail to bring forth a memory. "Tokizo Masaya."

"Is the person holding Naitsuusha or Aya-chan?" Yohji demanded in a rush.

"I don't know!" Neu cried out. "Tokizo Masaya. I. . . I worked for him. Someone made Schreient work for him."

"Tokizo Masaya," said Yohji again. He got on the ground on his knees and gripped Neu's shaking body. With his presence alone, he forced her to meet his eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Neu said truthfully. Her will wilted and the change came over her eyes first. "My head hurts…every time I think that name."

"Is there anything else you can tell me about Schreient?" Yohji begged her. This was his chance to prove to the others Neu was innocent. But Neu passed out from the effort of overcoming the mental block Harrison placed on her.

* * *

Schuldig sauntered into the living room with Crawford and Nagi behind him. Farfarello calmly read a magazine in front of the television. It was turned on to a game show but Farfarello wasn't paying attention to it.

"Kill anybody lately?" Schuldig asked carelessly as he flopped down beside him.

"Sixteen people," Farfarello answered emotionlessly without looking up from his literature.

"Sounds fun, Farfarello," Schuldig replied with a short laugh. "It only took you three days."

"My time was well worth it." Farfarello looked up from his magazine to grin at Schwarz. "God will notice the company I sent him," he declared with malice.

"Where were you?" Nagi asked sullenly, short form looming over their heads. "You were supposed to be home two days ago."

Farfarello wondered if Nagi noticed his computer was accessed. Farfarello could tell after a moment of observation. _Nagi didn't notice anything_ , Farfarello thought with a trace of satisfaction. _He didn't tell Crawford about Karmesinrot Rache's house. Is he still trying to find where Chimera is?_

"Confession," Farfarello replied shortly with a proud glint in his eyes. "I told God I sinned. I made sure he knew."

"Schreient is getting on my nerves, Farfarello," Schuldig said abruptly. "I think they don't fear us anymore."

"They don't need to fear us," said Crawford, finally joining the conversation. "They just need to do their job as Eszet ordered."

"What about Schwarz?" Farfarello asked with amusement, golden gaze falling on his leader. "Are _you_ doing our job as Eszet ordered?"

"We already killed Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache," Crawford replied evenly. "Eszet does not have any problems doubting our loyalty."

Farfarello gave a low chuckle and rose from his seat, dropping the magazine on Schuldig's lap _. Drink the crimson up_ , Farfarello's mind whispered into his. He walked out from the room and went to the attic. There was a woman there who needed his undivided attention. Farfarello climbed the stairs slowly, letting his anticipation make the next few hours bliss for him. He unlocked the door to the attic. She gave him a fearful look. Her entire body was bounded. Muffled words escaped from the cloth stuffed into her mouth. He turned towards his altar. He smiled at the bloody crucifix of Christ and bowed to it with a sadistic smile. He lifted the bloody knife off the altar and turned towards his victim. He wanted days with her.

* * *

How many days passed? Naitsuusha didn't know. She was alone in a warm tank of fetid liquid getting more unpleasant by the hour. The hallucinations started without warning. Reality met with fiction as the mind merged the voices in her head with the voices outside. She couldn't tell anymore. Her mind sank into itself. She was being urged onwards. Gabriel called her.

Hell rested her hand on the cold coffin of dreams and ambitions. Harrison paid them a second visit to their personal base after Schwarz left their medical facility. From Eszet's decades of research, the organization concocted a serum translucent white in color. Harrison did not know the components or the proportions when he presented Hell with the vial. He knew just enough to know it would turn Raven's memories against her with the proper combination of hypnosis and verbal coaxing.

Hell used to be with the Japanese Self Defense Force. Years in that forsaken prestigious academy did not teach her the art of manipulation. Life had, with a bitter coldhearted professor majoring in pain. Slowly, she brought Raven's mind into the open. Their enemies had Neu. Schreient had Raven. Nei was just the first trap. Hell would transform Raven into the second when Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache came to rescue her.

* * *

Schuldig lost his grip on his can of soda. It fell from his slackened hands, creating a brown pool at his feet and over the formerly stain-free carpet. Schuldig ignored the mess. His focus was shattered by the sensations pounding against his head with the force of a tsunami. The pain filled thoughts were continuous. The sufferer had been tortured endlessly in mind, body, and soul.

 _Whose thoughts? They are screaming at me!_ Schuldig pulled his shields higher and layered them on but he could still sense her soundless voice.

 _Jei!_ She called again and again. _Jei! Please! Jei!_

"A nun?" Schuldig's voice was strained as the realization slammed against his shields.

 _Jei! Stop it!_ She begged wordlessly with her eyes and mind. _Listen to me, Jei!_

"Farfarello?" the German whispered in the same pleading voice as the unknown prisoner took hold of his personality. _An angel tapestry?,_ he thought indignantly. _That_ piece of crap was what set Farfarello off?! Finally, it became too much to bear.

"My _fucking_ God, Farfarello, can you kill her already?" Schuldig stormed up to the attic. Farfarello gagged his victim to prevent her from screaming so Crawford wouldn't know Farfarello was living in his torture chamber but Schuldig needed sanity too.

Schuldig burst into the attic and gave both a hate-filled glare for disturbing his peace of mind. The fat woman was bleeding sluggishly from multiple stab wounds in her vital areas before her torturer painted acid across her face, disfiguring her horribly. "Farfarello, you're making a mess," Schuldig snapped irritably after he regained his composure at the gruesome display of mangled flesh. "I'm telling Crawford if you don't get this woman out of here."

"She's mine," growled Farfarello, pausing. Knives appeared in his hands like magic. "She dies when I say so."

Schuldig scowled and pulled out his gun swiftly. He aimed it between the woman's eyes. "Kill her or I will," he stated flatly.

Farfarello sneered at Schuldig but yanked out the gag in his victim's mouth.

"Jei, stop this," begged the woman. "You have to listen to me."

"Who the hell is this?" Schuldig asked, leaning back against the wall and placing his gun back inside his jacket. Schuldig entered the woman's mind, learning about her past. _Ruth, an ex-nun, is the mother of Farfarello._ His jaw dropped open at the thoughts. "Farfarello! She's your mother!"

"Jei, you need to know the truth!" Ruth begged him frantically.

"I don't need to hear your lies," Farfarello declared coldly. "You speak for God." A sneer filled the pale, taunt face.

"No, you're wrong!" she begged. "That day you thought a robber killed your family."

"I killed them," said Farfarello softly as he met Ruth's eyes. Ruth's mouth fell open at the calmness of which he uttered what she wanted to tell him for over ten years. "I already know. God...couldn't help me then. He couldn't stop me from killing them. God couldn't save you either." Farfarello plunged the knife through the woman's chest and lifted her body to drop her into the large trough of acid.

Schuldig gaped at Farfarello's efficient brutality but quickly closed his mouth with a snap. He retched, turning for the stairs to escape the rotten fumes.

"Drink the crimson up." Farfarello stalked out of the room.

"Farfarello!" Schuldig was grateful the window was open so the smell could drift out and Crawford wasn't home. If Crawford smelled this, he would strap Farfarello in his restraints and hang him upside down for a week. "Where are you going?" Schuldig asked Farfarello's back. He ran to keep up with Farfarello's lead. Farfarello walk determinedly out of the house towards the small pond half a mile from the mansion. A small wooden shack seemed to be the target of Farfarello's sudden migration.

"The cat needs to be fed," Farfarello replied viciously without looking back. Farfarello's hair glowed in ethereal silver strands in the moonlight. He carried another weapon in his right hand. The long sheath was black and purple, housing a deadly sword.

"Cat?" Schuldig repeated but the mental image of an upside down Jade hanging in the shack in Farfarello's customary straightjacket caused him to stumble. "Panther's alive!"

Farfarello gave a short bark of laughter. He turned around to face Schuldig's shock. "She's hungry but she doesn't want to eat. She's mad, growling at me for three days now."

"How can this be possible?" Schuldig hastened his steps to match Farfarello. "We killed them!"

"Cats have nine lives," Farfarello stated simply. "All of Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache are alive."

"Bu-but!" Schuldig faltered in step again. The foundation of the planet is broken. "It was Crawford's plan! _Crawford's_! His plans _never_ fail!"

"Crawford was wrong," Farfarello said, smugness creeping into his voice, as he unlocked the heavy chain that kept the windowless shack from being opened from the inside. Despite its age, the wood was still sturdy and there was no rot in the boards.

"Does Crawford know about this?" Schuldig asked. Farfarello pulled the chain off the door and slung it over his bare shoulder.

"No," Farfarello grunted, pulling open the heavy doors. Farfarello and Schuldig stepped onto the dirty wooden floor. Farfarello closed the door behind them. Schuldig listened to the seething thoughts of Jade while Farfarello went to light a lantern. When the lantern's glow filled the room, Schuldig saw the female assassin suspended in the far corner of the shack. Her face was carved thin since they last met but she still held her icy fire.

"Fuckers," Jade snarled after Farfarello ripped the tape from her mouth. Farfarello removed Jade's sunglasses from her face and clipped them on his vest possessively. Jade growled at him, twisting her body upwards to free herself. But it was no use. "Fuckers!" she resorted to meaningful curses.

"Kätzchen, kätzchen, your manners are still horrible," Schuldig teased from the door. He cast his eyes around the room. Farfarello removed almost everything from the shack before he hung up his prize.

"Let's trade places and see how good your manners are," Jade snarled, glaring at the men. Farfarello sat down on the floor in front of her with his legs crossed.

"Did you hear her screams?" Farfarello asked Jade in a malicious voice.

"Fuck you!" Jade said, feeling sick at the thought. She heard. She couldn't stop herself. To make matters worse, Farfarello came in after every torture session to graphically describe what he did.

"You killed her today." Jade glared at Schuldig. It was Schuldig who told Farfarello to speed up the process.

" _I_ did," Farfarello corrected with a cold calmness, drawing her violet eyes to his feral body. " _I_ threw her body into the acid." An afterthought was added with an almost playful smile, "She formed bubbles."

"She was your mother," Jade said darkly. Farfarello's mood swings and manners were most disconcerting. "She wanted to love you."

"I'm aware of that," Farfarello replied as he placed Jade's no dachi across his crossed legs. "She wanted for me to love her too."

"You're psychotic," Jade stated flatly.

Farfarello tilted his head to one side and smiled up at her. While holding her eyes with his, he pulled the sword free of the sheath and brought it up to her throat. Farfarello searched her face carefully, searching for the fear that was like icing on cake. If there was even a speck of fear, Farfarello would ruthlessly slash her throat. Farfarello laughed harshly, pressing the blade against the pale skin of Jade's neck. Schuldig watched, tensed at the sight of Farfarello holding the deadly weapon. Farfarello always had a knack for blades. Seconds seemed to pass like hours before Farfarello pulled away and placed the sword back into its sheath. A sense of satisfaction permeated his being.

"Do you want to read my mind?" Farfarello asked her. "Why don't you control me like Schuldig control his toys?"

"That's cheating," Jade replied coolly. "I kill the old-fashioned way."

"Kill me," Farfarello egged her on.

"Gladly, Jei. Once I get free, that sword in your hand is going be rammed down your throat."

"They're not going to save you," Schuldig said smugly, "I would know if they are. I can hear them. I can hear _you_."

"You didn't hear me for the past seventy two hours," Jade scoffed as Farfarello stood up to move away. "You call yourself a telepath?"

"I didn't expect you to be alive." Schuldig walked closer and kneeled down so he was eye-level. He ran his calloused fingertips over her jaw line. Jade was definitely a beauty despite the state she was in. "But now I know Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß is still alive, I'll tell Crawford and we'll kill them all again."

Jade shouted a challenge as Schuldig stood. Jade jerked her body and caught Schuldig fully in the groin with a head butt. Schuldig staggered across the floor, cursing in German as fire ran through the area. Jade laughed evilly at the sight of him. "Mach es dir selber, arschloch!" Jade shouted triumphantly in German.

Farfarello grabbed her throat with both hands, cutting off her laugh. On the edge of passing out, she felt the pressure released. She reflexively choked on the air that filled her lungs. She regained enough moisture in her mouth to spit. Farfarello didn't flinch when it landed on him.

Schuldig recovered by the door. He turned to face her. "Verdammt ficken ziege!" Schuldig scowled at her before he exited.

"Ach…Hol dich der Teufel!" Jade laughed contemptuously, enjoying the sight at Schuldig's pain.

Farfarello shook his head at Jade who slowly stopped laughing after Schuldig's hasty departure. _The woman is crazy_ , he thought, impressed.


	37. Mission 09 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 09 Gift – Poison (Lost of Reason)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 05-27-04

* * *

Neu sat in the middle of the large group with Yohji by her side. They were glued together and they weren't seen separately except for baths.

"Is there any way we can confirm Tokizo Masaya is working with Schreient?" Aya asked them.

"Security footage." Omi pulled up the camera system. It was an easy task to gain copies of the videos.

"Neu and Schön," Kirei said, turning to laptop towards the group. "They arrived eight days ago to protect Tokizo Masaya."

"But left to lay the trap at Mitara five days ago," reminded Omi. "Neu's with us and Schön went back to Schreient's headquarters. It's very suspicious because Schreient accepted a very large package from another medical warehouse."

"Schreient has Tsuu in this base," said Kirei darkly. "I know it."

"How do we get her out?" Aya asked them. "How do we figure out where my sister is?" Aya turned to glare at Neu. "Are they in the same place?"

"Leave her alone," Yohji defended Neu. "She's trying to remember! It takes time!"

"We have to rescue her tonight," Kirei said. "I'm not waiting another night. We know where she is and I'm going to save Tsuu."

"We do have the floor plans for the compound," Kayla said. She gave everyone a formal look as temporary leader. "This is Karmesinrot Rache's mission. You don't have to come."

"We will," Omi said gesturing to Ken and himself. "But what about Neu and Yohji?"

"Take her with us," said Aya. "I'm not letting her out of my sight until I get back my sister."

"Done. Neu'll come with us." Kirei grabbed Neu roughly by the arm. She stared at the woman and told her in her most threatening voice, "If you lead us into another trap, I will kill you." Neu met her gaze squarely. Kirei let her go, sensing she understood.

* * *

Before the sliver of moon got comfortably reacquainted with the night-time sky, security was breached. Someone came from the south sector. More guards ran through the lower floors of the manor to aid those on patrol. Hell, who hired footmen of her own because she expected this foolish attack, received the call from the head guard.

"Eight unidentified people! Four males. Four females."

Tot looked at the men scurrying up the stairs. "Hell?" She tugged on Hell's sleeve. "What's going on?"

"There are enemies trying to break in, Tot," Hell explained, leading the girl along to where they held Naitsuusha hostage. "Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache are back."

"I won't let them get inside my house," Tot said darkly, turning serious at the threat of losing precious things to the enemy.

Hell laughed evilly, feeling the game played out to her rules as the guards engaged Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß. The real challenge still waited for them. The security cameras filled with static before turning black after Omi and Kirei killed the system. There were commanding shouts from the first floor.

The guards aimed their guns at the mob of assassins and fired nonstop. Kayla released a hail of silver arrows in retaliation. "Find Raven!" she ordered the others. Fire exploded in the middle of the area and everyone screamed in agony.

"I found Raven!" Ken shouted at the sight of Naitsuusha on the second floor. His words caught everyone's attention.

"Do not shoot her!" Hell ordered the guards before Schreient released Naitsuusha. "Let that one live!"

"Raven!" Kirei ran towards her friend but fire formed a large snake in the air.

"I know how to fight you." Naitsuusha twisted the fiery snake and launched it at Kirei. Omi tackled Kirei to the side and they rolled into a short burst of wind that sent them crashing into the wall. Omi stood up shakily, pulling Kirei with him.

"I don't think she's on our side," Omi said the others who watched the action warily.

"You can't hurt Gabe-nii," said Naitsuusha darkly. "You won't hurt him!"

"What?" The confused thought filled everyone's heads.

Suddenly, windows and doors were blocked. All points of entry were completely covered by the slamming down of metal. The compound was a military base, once attended by Chizuru Aoi before she took the name Hell, before it was sold into private hands: Takatori Reiji's. The part where Schreient laid their trap was the base's prison. The convenience of still functional lock-down functions made the trap far too easy to activate.

Naitsuusha's eager cooperation was a result of having too many suppressed emotions. Naitsuusha needed serious therapy. Hell stirred up those memories with Eszet's serum, playing God by brainwashing her. Hell appeared behind Naitsuusha. Her enemies glared daggers at her. Hell smirked victoriously at them, glowing with an unearthly hate. "Don't you think she makes a fine addition to Schreient?" she asked in a possessive voice with an unfriendly smile.

"Raven!" Kirei shouted, voice seeped with fear and anger. Naitsuusha floated down to their level. They stood in an unobstructed area. There was no cover. No escape. The remaining guards were ready to kill their enemies. However, the assassins knew how to deal with firearms. Hence, chance was still unchained. Either side could win. As the others dealt with stopping bullets, Yohji took it upon himself to restrain Naitsuusha, most importantly her hands which were the source of her abilities.

His wire wrapped around her body, missing her hands. Wind flung Yohji into the wall before Naitsuusha sent fire racing along the wire towards his wrist. Yohji screamed when his clothes caught on fire. Neu ran to put it out. Naitsuusha snapped the superheated wire and let it fall to the floor. The rescue team fled to the next room followed by Naitsuusha and Hell's team of guards.

"This isn't right!" Kayla shouted while she covered their backs with Omi. "Why in hell is Raven freaking out on us like that?"

"Here!" Neu pointed to a hallway. The others didn't have the time to debate whether it was a good idea or not so they just ran into it. They trampled down the steps into a dark room.

"We're in their basement!" Kayla hissed at the smell of the musky mold.

"Help me!" Aya threw his weight against the barred door. Yohji responded to his call of action by adding to the effort to topple open the door. Unlike the higher floors, the basement cells were in disrepair.

"Our escape route better be good since there's no going back," Ken pointed out when Naitsuusha paused on the staircase.

"The basements are all interconnected. There's another door, Siberian," Kayla grabbed Ken's hand. They ran to the opposite side. Neu drew up some martial arts training lurking in her memory and forced open the door with a flying kick.

"We did nothing but run away tonight," complained Ken. "When are we going to fight?"

"We can't fight against Raven!" Kayla shouted at him.

"Why not?"

"Because she's our friend!" Kayla shouted at Ken angrily.

"That wasn't me..." Ken went pale because Naitsuusha stood behind them.

Most of the men were still trying to catch up to them. Naitsuusha slammed the door shut and used her fire to weld the door to the frame.

"Raven, why did you do that?" Hell demanded over the facility's speakers.

"Schreient!" growled Kirei, green eyes darting around. "What the fuck did you do to Raven?"

Hell's chortle reverberated in the large empty room, grating on their nerves. "It's what I _didn't_ do," she said snidely. "Raven is now a part of Schreient."

"Gabriel Anderson is dead!" Aya practically shouted at Hell. "Why is she spewing nonsense about him?"

"You mean before he changed his name to Takatori Masufumi? So he could protect his precious little sister from the murderers who killed her family?" Hell laughed viciously.

Naitsuusha brought her hands together. "Gabii-nii loved us." Her azure eyes darkened. "You _hurt_ him," she accused in a deadly voice.

"Stop calling him Gabe-nii!" Kayla shouted at her. "He's not your brother!"

"He _is_ my brother!" Her voice pitched furiously. "You don't know anything!" Naitsuusha blasted them with fire. Aya shielded both girls with his body, pushing them behind him. Ken and Omi bravely faced the fire despite the shouts from Kirei and Kayla for them to stop their attacks. Kirei pulled away from Aya and threw herself against Naitsuusha. Naitsuusha lost concentration over her powers.

"Someone knock her out!" Yohji suggested helpfully as he pushed Neu to safety. Neu cowered behind the water tank that was used to imprison Naitsuusha earlier.

"Raven, are you _crazy_?" Kirei shouted in her ear. Naitsuusha pushed Kirei off with a quick blast of wind. Kirei slammed into the low ceiling. She fell to the ground with the breath knocked out of her.

"She wasn't supposed to take my idea to use against us," muttered Yohji as he tried his garrote again.

" _YOU WON'T HURT GABE-NII!"_ Naitsuusha formed a fire tornado around everyone. Aya stared at it with a look of terror, remembering its constricting heat from their second meeting. The fire rushed higher after Naitsuusha added wind. The group was trapped in a small circle whose circumference was quickly decreasing.

"She's going to kill us!" Yohji said, coughing into his burned sleeve. The girls were facing the fire with a grim expression on their face.

"Falcon, you can make it," Kirei said after a decisive moment. "Abyssinian, I need your coat."

"Why?" Aya asked suspiciously.

"Do it!" everyone shouted at Aya who jumped. Aya immediately took off his coat and handed it to Kayla who threw it over her head and body.

"Don't look back, just go!" Kirei hoped Kayla's speed was fast enough to get her through the fire unharmed to take out Naitsuusha. "Neu! Get that tank open!" Kire ordered. Neu, whom everyone forgot, did not waver on the command. She flung open the heavy lid and jumped aside.

Kayla charged through the fire with Aya's leather jacket over her body. She didn't need to see where she was going. Her extrasensory powers would aid her when she made it to the other side. Kayla tackled Naitsuusha backwards. Both girls went into the tank with a bang of jarred limbs and a splash of sloshing liquid. Naitsuusha's powers vanished under the fear of drowning when Kayla held her head and hands under water. Kirei appeared beside Kayla and pulled the sputtering Naitsuusha to the surface.

"Naitsuusha Fushiro," she said plainly, capturing Naitsuusha's eyes. Her hypnotic powers plunged deep into her friend's mind, winding gracefully against false memories to squeeze them out of existence.

 _GABE-NIICHAN!_ Naitsuusha's soundless screams were vibrant like her brother's red blood as she relived the day her brother was murdered in front of her. Gabriel's' still body. The ambulance that arrived too late and the coroner that arrived too early.

" _Tsuu, stop. You're being a baby," Gabriel scolded when she threw a tantrum in public. Gabriel looked on with a pained expression on his face._ Gabriel's face melded with Takatori Masufumi's haggard one in Naitsuusha's mind.

"Tsuu, stop!" Kirei called with her powers.

" _Tsuu, you're hurting me. Don't hug me so tight." Gabriel -still resembling Masufumi-carried her on his back after another day at the beach. She gathered a bucket of pretty shells which Gabriel carried it in his hand._

"Raven, everyone's going to die!"

" _Tsuu, stop crying. It's going to be okay. I'm not mad at you." She broke his laptop by spilling her juice all over the keys, destroying his laboratory's research._ Naitsuusha faltered. Gabriel…didn't work in a genetics lab with all those strange people. He worked in…in Kritiker. Gabriel's rightful faced flourished. Kirei's powers began to succeed against Eszet's serum and Hell's conniving words.

 _Gabriel held the laptop at an angle and let the apple juice drip out over the sink as she cried on the floor next to him._ A tiny voice spoke, _Nine Lives? That was his secret project._

Kirei, desperate, poured forth all her powers without holding back because she would not lose her friend to Hell. Even if it meant destroying Karmesinrot Rache's bond to Raven to show her the truth. _A sad smile lingered in Gabriel's warm hazel eyes. Stop fighting against the people you love._

"Gabe-nii, don't leave me," Naitsuusha collapsed and sobbed uncontrollably. "Don't leave me…"

The ordeal was finally over but they were still trapped in the basement. "Stairs melted. Fire did it," Ken stated without amusement. It was Jigen Political Party all over again for the two teams.

"At least we don't have to fall sixty stories to the ground." Kayla sighed. "How do we get out of here?"

"Falcon, hello, exploding arrows?" Kirei snapped her fingers at the explosive section of Kayla's quiver pack.

"Viper, hello, collapsing basement?" Kayla snapped her fingers at Kirei's head with an amused grin. The other girl chuckled despite the terrified atmosphere a few moments ago.

"Damn," Kirei muttered at slag that was formerly the door. "The guards might get inside with enough time."

"We can't wait to kill them all." Omi frowned. "If they called for reinforcements, we'll have even bigger problems."

Naitsuusha raised her head, tears streaming down her face. She looked so young and innocent. "Where am I?" she asked, confused.

No lie escaped Aya's lips. He explained their situation in his typical succinct way. Naitsuusha shoved everyone away guiltily to stand up on steady legs once her head was clear. Naitsuusha shook in anger at being used. It was time for payback.

"Which side of the wall is the weakest?" Naitsuusha asked the group.

"That one," Omi pointed to the south wall. "But we're in the basement."

"I'm pretty sure everyone knows what a tornado can do to the earth. Even concrete and steel." Naitsuusha sent a continuous blast of fire against the wall to weaken the structure. The glowing rocks were easily cut through with quick blasts of wind until Naitsuusha chopped up a pile of earth and rock. The wind blades loosened up the material enough for another strong tornado to plow a narrow tunnel to the ß and Karmesinrot Rache crawled up to the surface before the other men could figure out how they got out.

"That was pretty cool, Naitsuusha," Ken admitted when they reached their cars. "Where'd you get that idea?"

"Anime," Naitsuusha snickered as she slid into the driver's seat. The two cars returned home with Kirei and Omi making sure they weren't followed.

* * *

The sound of someone opening the lock and pulling off the chain woke Jade from her uneasy sleep. _Schuldig_ , Jade squirmed in irritation. _Why can't they leave me in peace?_ "What do you want?" Jade asked acidly. Schuldig walked into the room and closed the door behind him. Schuldig's lighter flickered on to illuminate his green eyes. He lit up a cigarette. "Can't you smoke outside? There's a whole pond waiting for your dead body to float in it."

Schuldig chuckled wryly, invisibly fingering the insubstantial link between them. It was easy to find it after becoming accustomed to Jade's presence. _Why would I do that when I have such interesting company here?_ Schuldig's cigarette was a hazy orange behind the cloud of exhaled smoke. Schuldig lit the wick of the kerosene lantern and settled down in comfortable position before Jade. Jade rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses and growled at him.

 _Was that your stomach, kätzchen?_ Schuldig asked, amused. _You must be hungry._

"Did you tell Brad about me?" Jade asked him, refusing to speak using her telepathy. She knitted her shields tighter to prevent his thoughts from penetrating. Crawford would definitely come here himself if he knew. Why didn't Farfarello and Schuldig say anything about her?

"Oh! A first name basis already!" Schuldig laughed. "Must be some crush you have on ol' stick-up-his-ass Crawford."

"Bite me," Jade snarled angrily. Schuldig was the last person she would ever allow to tease her about Brad Crawford.

"Only because you asked so nicely," Schuldig drawled lazily, leaning forward too casually for comfort. Jade cursed him out when she felt his lips on her ear lobe. His cigarette breath caused her to cough. "You're not that fresh yourself, kätzchen," Schuldig retorted, mildly offended at her reaction. He pulled away to inhale another drag on his cigarette. "But you're not that bad for someone who hasn't bathed in five days."

Jade twitched visibly. Jade was a neat freak and not bathing was the torture that Farfarello hadn't discovered yet.

"Maybe I could bathe you? With you?"

" _Die_."

Schuldig pulled his legs up. He laid both arms across the top of his knees and gazed at Jade in curiosity. "What happened to your German?"

Jade shot him a look filled with venom. Schuldig smiled. _I enjoy threats,_ Schuldig told her boldly, not caring if she heard his telepathic remark or not. From the startled look on her face, she did. His powers were more refined since their last battle. "But you should stop it, kätzchen," Schuldig warned. "It's not right for a lady to curse so much." Jade's look grew deadlier under Schuldig's gaze.

Schuldig lifted off Jade's sunglasses to peer at her face under the light of the lantern. He scrutinized her face with a thoughtful expression. "You don't look fully Japanese. You don't have the eyes. So that makes your mother...I'd say Chinese."

 _Fuck you._

He'd won. Jade's shields fell. When would she run out of curses? _How many languages do you know?_

 _Six,_ Jade replied proudly. _I can curse you in every single one of them._

Schuldig pulled a strand of Jade's long hair towards him and stroked it to her annoyance. _Why do you need to know six languages,_ _kätzchen?_ _You're such an interesting girl already._

 _What's the point of being a telepath and not knowing the meaning of what people are thinking?_ Her arrogance increased, a shield to her ice-armor. _Is interesting is the only word that describes me?_ Jade wanted to know. _Interesting is getting too common._

 _A bitch_ , Schuldig thought, giving Jade a smile. _How about that?_

 _Really?_ Jade raised an eyebrow at him. _That's common too._

 _Ice-queen,_ Schuldig thought, pleased at the word that entered his mind. _Ma_ _n-hater. That pretty sums you up. A man-hating Ice-Queen of Bitchiness. Your royal title._

Jade frowned. Schuldig was a tricky bastard. _Oh…_

 _Fuck you?_ Schuldig supplied carelessly. Schuldig stood, finishing his cigarette. _I'll talk to you tomorrow, kätzchen._ Schuldig pulled open the door and let in the night air again. Jade shivered. Schuldig turned around. She was wearing Farfarello's straightjacket but it wasn't warm enough during the cold nights.

 _Don't come back._ Jade could read his thoughts. She didn't want his pity, sympathy, or concern.

 _You'll miss me_ , Schuldig looked godly against the vast backdrop of stars and glistening black water.

 _I'll never miss you if you give me my sword._ Jade smiled at him sweetly.

Schuldig leaned down to the pick something up from the ground as he carefully guarded his mind. He walked over but kept his hands behind his back. He stopped a good distance away from her head to her amusement.

"I don't doubt that... _Hanabishi Nadeshiko_." Schuldig dropped the bouquet of pink flowers that carried her birth name with a flourish. She paled above its sweet fragrance. Schuldig left. Jade stared at the flowers on the floor in complete shock as Schuldig locked her up for the night.


	38. Mission 10 Retter - Savior

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 10 Retter – Savior (Rising Hope)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-03-04

* * *

Naitsuusha fumed inside her office, keying in an entirely new security program. Her thoughts became increasingly unpleasant towards the redhead assassin of Weiß. Her lithe fingers flew across the keyboard without making a mistake. _Fujimiya had better not gone into Gabriel's room_ , Naitsuusha thought sullenly after she locked up his room first. Fortunately for him, Aya did not. A confirmation popped up on the screen before disappearing just as rapidly.

It took hours until Naitsuusha was finished and thankfully, no one interrupted her that did not fear her waspish attitude. Kirei and Kayla entered to inquire on her health and left her some food and a cup of tea after getting a brief answer. The plate of salmon sushi was left untouched and the tea was ice cold now but Naitsuusha appreciated the thoughtful gesture even though she failed to voice it.

Both younger girls retreated to the lower level of the house where Weiß faced a very nervous Neu. She was the center of their attention. Aya demanded the exact location of Schreient. Jade was still missing but Omi and Kirei were working diligently on the case.

"She went down fighting," Kayla said quietly, ignoring the loud proceedings from Aya's interrogation and the news program still left on from when Yohji and Neu were watching together before Aya got into their faces. "There's no way Jade would _let_ the kidnapper take her without a fight!"

"I'm sure Akikou-san went down fighting too," Ken agreed wholeheartedly. It was just like Jade's personality. The assertive way she lived through life, giving orders and expecting them to be obeyed without question would manifest in her fighting skills.

"Why doesn't Chimera help us?" Kirei paused in her search. Omi took control of the laptop while she was talking to the others. "He's been out of contact with us for so long!"

"Chimera could locate her easily with her cell phone," Kayla said slowly. "Chimera should be worried about her too. But I don't know what's going through his mind if he's not trying to find Jade!"

"Do you always rely on Chimera for information?" asked Ken, frowning. "Who is this guy? Can you really trust him?"

"Of course!" both girls said loudly in unison. Everyone looked over at them to see their undying loyalty to Chimera in their eyes.

"Chimera's like Manx and Persia in one," explained Kayla. Aya turned back to Neu and Yohji after their outburst was over. "But that's all I can tell you about Chimera."

Ken's frown grew deeper as his brown eyes darkened with quiet thunder. "Because I'm Weiß?"

"Ken-san," Kayla apologized softly through the utterance of his name, ducking her head. _No, I won't_ , thought Kayla suddenly. _Ken-san has to know what I am. He can't forget that I_ chose _to become an assassin._ Kayla met his brown eyes squarely. "I'm Karmesinrot Rache's Falcon first. There are things about Falcon you can't forget just because you see Kayla now."

"Really?" Ken asked darkly, standing up. Kayla didn't take back her words after his defiance. "I'm less important than being an assassin? Is that how it is?"

"Of course," Kayla replied in an even voice. Ken stared at her wordlessly as he fought down a reply that he would regret saying.

"Ken-kun," Omi said, trying to calm Ken down. But Ken exited the room hastily to go upstairs to think.

"Kayla, you made him upset," Kirei said sadly. "That wasn't nice to say to him. He really likes you."

"I know that, Kirei!" Kayla stood up with a sigh. "But it's true. I can't have Ken-san having delusions! We have to be realistic here!"

"You should go talk to him," Omi suggested. Ken was his best friend, close enough to be family, and it made Omi sad to see Ken remain upset.

"I will," Kayla assured them before she traveled to Ken's bedroom. _I can't leave this unfinished. I could be walking upstairs to end the best relationship I'll ever have in my life but I can't have him regret who I am. He has to know...and I have to tell him._

Omi and Kirei exchanged concerned glances after Kayla left the room. Omi smiled at her. "I can deal with your need for secrecy but I hope one day, there will no be secrets between us," Omi said to Kirei. "Do you think things will be okay between Ken-kun and Kayla-san? Ken-kun's very upset right now."

"So is Kayla," Kirei pointed out. "But don't worry about them. Kayla's not the type of person to hold grudges. I'm sure Kayla will explain things to him," reassured Kirei.

Neu regained some of her old confidence back after her efforts in their fight against Tokizo Masaya but the location of Schreient was still hard to locate in her scattered memory.

"Where's my sister?" Aya was saying in a tense voice over the weather broadcast.

"I'm not sure!" Neu cried at Aya, feeling fed up with this insistent man. "I can't remember with you yelling at me!"

"Asuka," begged Yohji tenderly. "You remembered Tokizo Masaya. We're grateful for that, aren't we?" Yohji turned to Omi and Kirei who quickly nodded their agreement. "Just please, try to remember!"

"Yohji, I truly am trying!" Neu shouted at him. "But it hurts! I can't stand it!" Neu launched herself off the sofa and ran from the living room into the kitchen. Yohji quickly went after her with Aya hot on his heels.

Omi and Kirei exchanged significant glances again. "I'm glad we're not having problems," Omi said gratefully.

The weekly forecast filled the TV screen. "Heavy rains for the rest of the week will turn into light snow in most parts of Tokyo," Kirei murmured. Winter was coming. _If Jade was here, she'll probably grumbled about the snow. She hates winter!_ Kirei sighed heavily. _If Jade was home, she could read Neu's mind to find out where Schreient is right away!_

Kirei stood up. "I need to do something really quick," Kirei explained to Omi's questioning eyes. "It'll only take a few minutes." Kirei locked herself in her room as soon as she entered. She sat down at her desk. "I have to get in contact with Chimera," Kirei said to herself. "I don't care what he's doing but he has to help us! Omi-kun and I aren't getting anywhere and time's against us."

Chimera was always on top of things. For Chimera to neglect them, Karmesinrot Rache must have done something wrong. Kirei made a face. _We definitely did. How many times did things go awry when we've fought against Eszet's team? Schwarz and Schreient both kicked our asses when we went up with them. But they had the element of surprise on their side. It's not going to happen again._

Kirei knew she promised Omi she'd only take a few minutes but the attempts to hack into Chimera's organization to gain Chimera's encrypted address was more difficult that she originally estimated. _Of course it'd be hard_ , thought Kirei impatiently. _He's not Chimera if he can't even protect his own files._ Her repeated attempts to access Chimera's address failed. She growled, pride as the second best hacker on the team wounded. Naitsuusha would never stoop to begging information from Chimera so Kirei didn't bother asking for her assistance.

It was always a one-way path to Chimera. Each time a mission was completed, Chimera picked up all the original mission files and the mission reports. The only files they in their hands were the ones on Farfarello. Chimera already retrieved the ones about Weiß, ending their mission. Karmesinrot Rache was helping the other assassin team out of their free will.

"We need you right now, Chimera! Why can't you see that?" she cried to the silent computer. She closed the laptop and left, stomping towards the lower levels to rejoin Omi.

The sight of Kayla standing in his room doused his angry flames. _She came to explain, not to fight with me_ , Ken reminded himself when she asked to come into his room in a soft voice. _Let her talk. Just calm down and listen to her._

"Ken-san, do you remember when we were at that park behind Magicbus? When we were talking about how I didn't want to leave Karmesinrot Rache?"

Ken nodded. "You said the team is your family."

"Ken-san, it's still true today as much as when I first met them," Kayla emphasized quietly. "You have a good heart because you're willing to live on despite all the pain it might cause that strong heart of yours. But you can take it, Ken-san. You placed your love and trust in the people around you and you hold it close to you. That's how I am too. I'm here in this world as Karmesinrot Rache's Falcon. I will always be her as long as my family needs me." She paused in her monologue, preparing to share her past to a man who she knew would understand. "I should tell you everything about myself so you would trust me."

"I do trust you!" Ken exclaimed. "I never met Chimera so I can't fight this feeling that he's going to lead you into danger."

"Ken-san, he's Chimera! Of course he'll lead us into danger! He gives us our missions!" Kayla reminded him. "But you should know about me and make your decisions."

"I'm listening," said Ken, guiding Kayla towards the head of the bed and to the soft pillows that adorned it. The two of them settled on top of the bed in a more comfortable position.

"I was born in Florida. I'm not sure where. My biological mother put me up for adoption. My birth mother couldn't handle having me since I was blind." Ken could see no sadness on her face. The pain of the memory had vanished, just leaving it as a fact of life. "I was adopted when I was three years old after waiting for a year."

"It must have been lonely without anyone," Ken said softly.

"I dealt with it. I didn't make many friends at first since I was blind and I started to talk at six," Kayla admitted. "But they taught me Braille and I learned to talk, write, and read with time and tons of practice." Kayla laughed at the memory. "It was so hard to write!"

"I've never seen your handwriting," said Ken. "Do you use your Braille computer?" He was curious about Kayla's equipment.

"I'll show you when we get back to our house in Tokyo," Kayla assured warmly. "The family who adopted me was named Keough and that's my last name. That you already know." She smiled wanly at him. "The couple who adopted me were having 'empty-nest' syndrome since they were pretty old. Their own children were already married with their own kids and had moved to the other side of the country in California. I was with my new family for about twelve years. My adopted mom, Virginia, died at seventy-nine and soon after my dad, Richard, passed away at eighty-two."

"Were they good to you?" Ken asked her. "Did their children become jealous?"

"Oh no!" Kayla laughed at the absurdness of his suggestion. "They were fine with the fact I was adopted." Kayla shook her head. "They treated me like family. They were a very loving family."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Ken honestly.

Kayla returned to her autobiography. "I was very overprotected by my family. I had a chaperone for everything. I think the thing I craved most growing up was total independence. When I turned sixteen, my adopted parents died so I was sent to live with the youngest daughter of my parents. I left Sarah's home because I've been having these consistent…" Kayla paused, wanting to say "dreams" instead of "visions." The thought of telling Ken one of the biggest secret of her life was terrifying. "I've been able to see bits of the world around me as I was growing up. At first it scared me but I realized I could see the future too."

Ken was shocked. "Are you a pre-cognitive?"

"Yes," Kayla said tentatively, sounding worried. "The loss of my parents made me grieve deeply because I loved them. But I was really tired of people trying to tell me how to live my life like I couldn't figure it out myself after their deaths. I think it led me to have these visions about a male I've never seen before. It was Chimera and he was my future."

"Chimera rescued you?" Ken asked her.

"He did," replied Kayla with a smile. "I'll never forget how clear he was in the first vision. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a light blue polo shirt with the left collar flipped up against his neck because it was windy that night. He had blue eyes and his blonde hair was really short. He was definitely taller than me and at that time, looked to be in his mid-twenties."

"How did Chimera find you?"

"I'm not sure," admitted Kayla. "I asked him of course but he said I was the one who found him. He came to me after my seventeenth birthday. He told me about Karmesinrot Rache and he knew what I could do. He gave me another loving family that didn't plan out my meals or what outfits I could wear for the day."

"Akikou-san?" Ken asked her.

"Jade and Tsuu were the first of the team Chimera said I would meet," Kayla explained. "I didn't even know who they were but once we all got together with Kirei joining the team, it was one of the happiest memories I have."

"But how can you trust Chimera?" Ken asked her in bewilderment. "I understand he gave your family and friends to you but you're killing people for him without ever questioning him!"

"You should be able to understand it," replied Kayla in a strong voice. "Don't you love your family and friends? Aren't they your treasures?"

"Yeah but-"

"Chimera saw me," Kayla said firmly. "He saw me for what and who I really was. He saw all the potential that dwelled inside even I wasn't aware of. The reason I can walk without fearing I'll stumble into something is because of his training. I have pre-cognition but the ability to be confident in myself…that was Chimera's teaching. I don't owe him my loyalty and trust…he _deserves_ it."

"I...see." Ken could see her reasoning after her earnest explanation. He mused over what she spent the last hour telling him. It was all he wanted to know. _And now I know it_ , Ken thought shocked. _I know everything about her. And I still care about you._ He was surprised at his own emotions.

"Ken-san?" Kayla's voice broke into his thoughts. "I want to know something….what do you look like?" Her first and only vision of Ken during their meeting at Sasaki Omizu had him shrouded in shadow. His finer features were a mystery.

Ken gaped at her. _Of course she doesn't know what I look like! She's never seen me before._ Ken mumbled self-descriptions. "I have dark brown hair, darker than yours. But maybe...you wouldn't know what brown is..."

"I do know," Kayla admitted. "My visions come to me in color. I love getting them."

Ken chuckled. He took Kayla's hands and placed them in his hair. "My hair's dark brown. It's pretty short right now." Ken guided Kayla's hands through his hair until it ended at the base near his neck. "My eyes are almost the same color." He brought Kayla's hands forward slowly until they reached his face. He pressed her fingertips gently over his eyelids and brought them down to his nose. "I have my mother's nose and mouth." Ken then led them to his chest. "I'm embarrassed to say I'm really skinny. No muscles at all."

"I bet you're muscular underneath your clothes," Kayla said boldly. "You must have nice arms...because of your heavy bugnucks." Kayla squeezed Ken's upper arms gently. "And muscular legs from all that soccer playing." Ken blushed when Kayla's hands went to feel on his legs. "Tell me more?" Kayla begged him after Ken's blushing caused him to become silent. "I want to know about Ken-san."

Ken mumbled some more. "I'm not that tall as you can probably tell."

"Don't worry about it!" Kayla beamed up at him. "Short people rule."

Ken laughed at that. "I hope you don't mi-", then he cut off after Kayla succumbed to her powers. "Kayla?" he said, a little shocked when her eyes dilated until all color was lost from the irises.

The short silence was broken when she babbled. At least to Ken, it sounded like rambling. Kayla jumped off his bed, knocking his pillows to the ground. "He knows what happened to Jade!" she exclaimed excitedly before running out of the room.

Naitsuusha appeared out of her office, pulled from unplanned slumber. Kirei rushed upstairs after hearing Kayla's shrieks and nearly missing colliding with Aya. Kirei twirled around him gracefully and ended behind the other girls.

"Kayla! Slow down!" Naitsuusha begged the female archer. "I can't understand you!"

"Christopher Merache knows what happened to Jade!" Kayla declared in rushed words. "He's been watching our house!"

"Who's Christopher Merache?" asked Aya, confused. "How do you know?"

"You had a vision, didn't you?" Ken asked her, awed. "You went stiff and quiet for a few seconds!"

"Vision?" Yohji asked. "You can see-"

"Kirei!" Naitsuusha said quickly, cutting across Yohji's questions. Kirei looked at her expectantly. "Look up Christopher Merache and see what you can find out about him."

"He's a businessman," said Omi abruptly. Everyone looked at him. Omi elaborated his quick answer. "I remember his name from the mission to kill Sasaki Ginji."

"The mission where we met up," nodded Ken, recalling the files. "Merache was a partner of Sasaki's business."

"Sponsor," corrected Omi. "They weren't official business partners."

"Omi-kun, want to help me?" Kirei asked Omi. Everyone followed the youngsters into Omi's room.

"He owns Seito forest!" exclaimed Kirei in awe. "He owns the entire forest!"

"What?" Naitsuusha shouted furiously. "This is my land! This house and the land it's sitting on belonged to my father!"

"Not according to these records from the city," pointed out Omi. "He's been the owner of this forest since the beginning of the year!"

"We were in Kobe at that time," said Naitsuusha. "Chimera sent us there."

Omi turned to look at Naitsuusha with a confused look. "This house isn't even listed on the records! This house doesn't exist."

"That fucking Chimera," said Naitsuusha darkly. "I knew I shouldn't have let him moved me from Tokyo! I'll kill him!"

Weiß stared at Naitsuusha wordlessly. This was the first time they all seen this side of her. Kirei and Kayla smiled through it all. "Don't worry. Chimera's heard that threat before," Kayla reassured the group quietly. "He's still alive after hearing them from both Jade and Tsuu."

"Why haven't we seen his house?" Naitsuusha asked them. "There is no way that I can live here all these years and not see a mansion!"

"His mansion is nestled in a large grove of trees. I think it's camouflaged like how this house is."

"He knows where Jade is," said Kayla.

This was the first time Weiß was aware Kayla had visions. What powers did the other members of Karmesinrot Rache have? "You use fire and wind," said Aya bluntly to Naitsuusha. "Kayla-san has visions of the future. What about Kirei-san and Akikou-san?"

Naitsuusha gave him an icy look. "Why should I tell you? Didn't you steal enough information from us already?"

 _She's mad at me for going into her bedroom_ , Aya thought, feeling somewhat ashamed. _I expected that. Why am I so bothered?_ "You stole files from Magicbus Hospital before," Aya pointed out in the same tone Naitsuusha used.

Fire danced across Naitsuusha's hands, unbidden as it was born from the ferocity in her heart. "Do you really want to go down that path with me, Fujimiya?"

"Another night," Aya bowed his head curtly before he walked past her fire to leave.

 _His hair would look better if it was on fire_ , Naitsuusha thought bitterly as she watched the redhead leave. Her anger disappeared after she heard his bedroom door close and so did the fire in her hands. "I'm going to bed," Naitsuusha told the others. Kayla gave Naitsuusha a hug to her surprise. Kirei gave Naitsuusha a kind smile.

"Don't be mad at him," said Kirei. "Aya-san's sorry about what he did. He doesn't know how to show it."

Naitsuusha's face shifted into an unreadable expression at Kirei's words. "Night," Naitsuusha said to her two friends before she turned to leave. She paused to add over her shoulder, "Kirei, do the research in your own bedroom. Let Tsukiyono sleep in his."

Aya took what little refuge he could in "his" bedroom. The philosophy book allowing him to open all the doors in the house was open in his hands. The appearance of Naitsuusha in his bedroom didn't make him raise his eyes off the book.

"I want my book back," Naitsuusha demanded as she walked into his room to stand near him.

"I'm still reading it," replied Aya, finally looking at Naitsuusha to see a look of irritation on her face in response to his answer.

"It's my book," replied Naitsuusha hotly. "You didn't ask me for it."

"The library was unlocked. I assumed any interested parties could read whatever material was inside." Aya gave her a cool look. "Am I wrong?"

"It's locked now," replied Naitsuusha with her hand held out for the book. "Return it to me."

Aya's pale features seem disturbed. He lowered the book slowly. _She locked the library? Does she distrust me that much?_ "That's a shame then," Aya said softly.

"You like reading?" Naitsuusha asked him, raising an eyebrow.

"I try when I have the time to," replied Aya. Shirasagi Reiichi was overjoyed when he found out Aya shared his hobby of reading for pleasure. He was still Ran when he was with Crashers. Shirasagi pushed him into reading a wide selection of literature. "I'll return your book to you," Aya said to the owner of the house, closing the book. He had been enjoying it but there was something more he could have.

"But?" Naitsuusha asked him, sensing there was something he desired from her. It was in his bright violet eyes, a hunger and a need.

"Would you unlock the library for me?" Aya asked her politely.

 _Did he just ask me nicely to do something for him?_ Naitsuusha thought, floored by his request. Naitsuusha stared at the man. His body healed from the injuries from Schwarz but he still looked delicate. A gentle burst wind from her powers could plow the man over without much difficulty.

Aya saw her azure eyes going over his body carefully. It oddly made him feel strangely warm from being placed on the spot. _She's judging how bad my health looks...but I've always looked this way. But she wouldn't know that._

"Keep the book, Fujimiya," Naitsuusha decided finally to his surprise. _Maybe Fujimiya would lock himself in the library with my books and keep himself out of trouble_. "I'll unlock the library tomorrow morning."

"Thank you, Fushiro-san," said Aya gratefully as he held the book closer to him.

Naitsuusha blinked a few times at his words and then frowned at him. She was confused by Aya's efforts to make progress with her. _Kirei and Kayla had seen before us Weiß weren't bad people. I've got to give them more credit._ "You can call me Naitsuusha."

"…Alright," Aya replied, feeling a mutual trust growing shakily between them. "You can call me-"

"Aya-san?" Naitsuusha smiled at him, warming the hazel specks in her eyes until they seemed to sparkle.

Aya stared at them, captivated by the dancing lights until the words left his mouth. They surprised even him. "Ran," Aya replied.

"Good night...Ran."

Aya's gaze stayed on the door after her departure. Somehow he just allowed the girl he called a demon before to use the name no one else had the privilege to use except for his little sister. He didn't want to think about the reasons. To avoid the issue, he reopened the book to locate the page he read before the dark angel entered his room.


	39. Mission 10 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 10 Retter – Savior (Rising Hope)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-03-04

* * *

Crawford reviewed the files Nagi organized. "You're taking a long time with this assignment," remarked Crawford. "Why?"

"Chimera's organization is divided into ranks and each rank has their code to bypass," explained Nagi. "So far I've determined four branches. I'm trying to link them up into one so it'll lead me to the exact location of Chimera." Nagi pointed to the data on the screen, indicating the crossed pathways. Nagi gave Crawford a steady look. "It all has to be cross-referenced with the satellite GPS."

"How close are you?" Crawford wanted to know. He was a patient man but even he had his limits. The fact Chimera's organization was so hard to bypass worried him. The head of Karmesinrot Rache would disappear and set up a new network, making Nagi's progress useless.

"Very close," replied Nagi, blue eyes returning to his original screen. "I'm very close."

"Tell me as soon as you get the information," Crawford ordered. His eyes fell on the information Nagi gathered on Karmesinrot Rache. "I'm taking this file with me."

"You're going to their house?" Nagi asked, surprised. "You don't want to wait?"

"I've waited long enough," replied Crawford before he left Nagi's workroom. He found Schuldig in his bedroom, smoking a cigarette. "Where's Farfarello?"

Schuldig closed his eyes and searched for Farfarello's mind. _He's still torturing Panther. If Crawford goes to find him, he'll discover she's alive. I haven't finished interrogating her._ So instead, Schuldig shrugged carelessly and replied, "He locked himself in his attic with his toys."

"Get him out of there. I need him with me when I go to Karmesinrot Rache's house," Crawford said.

Schuldig froze. "You're going now?" Schuldig asked his leader. He threw away his unfinished cigarette. "Let me go with you instead of Farfarello."

"They're already dead. There's no need to be so eager."

"No...there's no need," repeated Schuldig. _But I want to see what their home looks like. You can tell more about a person by looking at their belongings._ "But I want to."

"Then let's go. I don't have time to waste." Crawford gestured for Schuldig to follow him. Nagi heard them leave but he could have cared less. He was close to Chimera. An hour or so and he'll be able to present to Crawford everything he wanted to know about the elusive Chimera.

The light rain pattered against the roof of the shack. The soothing noise kept Jade's mind of the stinging pain in her body. Farfarello ignored the sight of the flowers after kicking them to the side. Jade watched him tensely when he organized his first set of weapons on the low table next to the kerosene lantern.

"I'm surprised you haven't cried out once," Farfarello praised in a low voice, pulling a long needle from Jade's body. The straightjacket was starting to turn pink from her blood. "Most of my victims do when I've gotten this far."

Jade ignored him, focusing her mind on the sound of rain. Her breathing was still steady despite the cold sweat dripping down her face.

"Do you recognize these needles I'm using on you?" Farfarello raised a blood smeared needle to her eyes. "Do you see the picture on the end?" Jade's purple eyes shifted from his face to the etching on the flat end of the bladed needle. She recognized the emblem of the tiny raven bird. "I've been collecting them," explained Farfarello in his low voice. "I found this one near Schuldig's body the day Crawford used you for information. I have six needles so far." Farfarello stood up proudly.

"Aren't you special? Did you use your fingers to remember six comes after five?"

Farfarello laughed, amused by her answers. Jade finally replied to his prodding and taunts. He had been having a monologue with her since he entered the shack with his things.

"Crawford has been interested in Karmesinrot Rache for a long time. I suspect it's a hobby to kill Raven." Farfarello turned to retrieve the remaining five needles. "Do you know what my hobby is?" Farfarello gazed at Jade with his golden eye. "It's to kill you."

* * *

The morning sun rose over the threatening gray skies. _The weather report is right_ , Kirei stared at the open window. She could hear the other occupants of the house rising.

"Ken-kun!" Omi shouted from outside her door. A crash followed his surprised voice. She dressed quickly in day clothes, feeling shy about letting Weiß see her in new pajamas. Kirei opened the door to reveal Omi shaking his head at Ken who was picking up his clothes and toothbrush from the floor. Kirei giggled at the sight of Ken's red boxers. Ken snatched them off the floor with a matching red face and dashed into the bathroom.

"Of all the available bathrooms, he has to go into mine to take a shower," complained Omi.

"He's probably trying to get clean before Kayla can see him," Kirei snickered. "Remind me to tell Kayla what boxers Ken-san is wearing so she can tease him about it."

Omi smirked before he sought out another empty guest bathroom. He passed by Yohji's bedroom. He didn't see Neu inside wearing Yohji's long yellow shirt. Neu took her hand off the phone quickly when she heard passing footsteps. Hell wanted her to move soon. Schwarz was ready to take away Fujimiya Aya.

"Lead them to Seian Research Center. Bring them to us," Hell said. "We'll kill them there. Shöen and Tot will rescue you."

When everyone reached the state of wakefulness, they trooped downstairs for breakfast. Kayla and Aya were in the kitchen, cooking together in aprons. The sight made Yohji's jaw drop when he walked in with Neu. Of course, with Yohji being awake before noon made the other three Weiß assassins stop in their tracks, blink a few times, rub their eyes to make sure they weren't hallucinating, and blink some more before exclaiming over the fact.

"Does Yohji still like to sleep in?" Neu asked the others who were staring at Yohji.

"Asuka?" Yohji turned to her with wide eyes. "You remembered that?"

"I do." Neu smiled shyly. "I don't know how but I know you like to sleep in."

"Do you remember where my sister is yet?" Aya demanded. He still looked threatening in a green ruffled apron.

"The pancakes are burning," Yohji pointed out when Kayla couldn't flip them over fast enough.

"Let me help you, Kayla." Naitsuusha took over Kayla's spot over the stove. She expertly flipped the remaining pancakes while Kirei and Kayla set the table in the dining room. Aya stood next to her, watching her cook efficiently. "The eggs still need to be scrambled. I'm guessing we're having an American styled breakfast today?"

"Kayla-san was already cooking when I got here. She planned the meal." Aya turned to the bowl full of raw eggs and found a frying pan right away. He oiled it and cracked the eggs into the pan.

"You don't like American food, Ran?" Naitsuusha asked him. "Do you want me to cook something else for you? Soba? Miso?"

"No, I'm fine," replied Aya as he worked next to her. "Thank you for your consideration."

"I don't believe this," Kirei whispered to Kayla as the two girls spied into the kitchen. "He's wearing a green apron with ruffles! Does he know that?"

"I think so. It was the only one left. I offered to trade mine but he told me it was pink."

"I know he doesn't want a pink apron," Omi added, crouched on his knees underneath the two girls as they spied together.

"Imagine him wearing an orange apron!" gasped out Kirei. "Omi-kun, you really need to tell him redheads shouldn't ever wear orange."

"You don't think I've tried?" Omi looked at her. "I told him once and he gave me this look and I swear I would never bring it up again."

"I bet his little sister knitted it for him," Kayla guessed thoughtfully. "It's the only logical reason for him to wear it so much."

"I can hear the three of you clearly," Aya said to them without looking their way. "Every. Single. Word." A muffled sound of mass panic and some running feet told Aya their spies fled.

Yohji regarded Omi, Kayla, and Kirei with amusement as they seated themselves hurriedly and pretended nothing happened. Neu eyed them with an odd expression on her face. "Where's Ken?" Yohji asked them. "I know he finished his shower already."

"I was getting the door," explained Ken when he walked into the dining room on cue. A familiar red-haired woman dressed in a long red jacket over black pants and black boots stood behind him.

"It's been a long time." Manx gave them all a beautiful smile.

"Manx!" Weiß jumped out of their seats to gather around her. Neu stared at the gorgeous redhead as Yohji led Manx to a seat. Aya came out of the kitchen without his apron, closely followed by Naitsuusha.

"Do you have news?" Aya asked her quickly, walking over to her. "Did Kritiker find something out about my sister?

"I do." Manx handed Aya a large folder of papers and a computer disk. "Eszet needed your sister for something called a Kundalini ceremony. I brought with me a list of laboratories that researches Kundalini. Schreient would be in one of them."

"Look at this!" Aya shoved the files under Neu's face. "Which one is it?"

"Neu?" Manx pointed to Neu in shock. "That's Neu of Schreient!"

"You've been out of touch for so long, Manx," said Omi. "Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß fought against Schreient. Schreient left Neu behind. She's our...hostage."

"She looks pretty comfortable for a hostage," Manx observed darkly. Neu was dressed in a halter top-styled white shirt with blue ruffles around the shoulders. Her loose blue pants ended above her ankles, showing her bare feet.

Neu flipped through the stack of pages. "Some of them seem familiar to me," Neu said slowly. "Can I have a pen?"

As Neu marked down the research centers she thought she knew, the others told Manx about Villa White, Karmesinrot Rache, and the new developments.

"Villa White's gone," Manx nodded. "Botan told me. I went to Koneko No Sume Ie to warn you but it was empty. I was worried. Botan is leading the investigation but it looks like Schreient." Manx gazed at Neu who poured over the papers without meeting anyone's gaze. "Why is she here?"

"Yohji-kun believes she's Murase Asuka," Omi explained.

"Balinese, you're making a mistake," said Manx darkly. "Don't let your emotions control your judgment."

"Who will believe in Asuka if I don't?" Yohji asked her in a dangerous voice. "None of you do. Asuka's been helpful so far!"

"What else has been happening?" Manx turned away from Yohji, feeling sorry for him. She would need to have a private talk with him about Schreient before she left.

"We've determined a man named Christopher Merache knows where Jade is," explained Kirei. "We're planning on breaking into his house tonight and forcing him to speak. I think he's the one who kidnapped Jade or he helped out!"

"Christopher Merache of Merache, Incorporated?" Manx asked them. She shook her head. "That doesn't make sense! Merache is Kritiker's ally. He helped Persia and me get in contact with Chimera!"

"What?" Kirei exclaimed. Kayla nearly dropped the utensils in her hands at her words.

"Merache is working for Chimera." Manx told them about the circumstances leading Persia and Manx to seek aid from Chimera in the protection of Weiß.

"But if Merache's working for Chimera... I don't understand," said Naitsuusha. "We _have_ to get in contact with Chimera. And the only way that had happened for sure was Merache _helping_ Kritiker?" Manx nodded. "Now we must talk to him." Naitsuusha sighed. "We were planning on infiltrating his house to get to her. But it is more difficult than I'd thought it be... He has his own private security base!"

"Then let me help out with a more direct solution," Manx smiled at them. She took out her cell phone. She dialed a number quickly. A female secretary picked up on the other end.

"Merache, Incorporated. Hatake Amara speaking."

"This is Erika, trying to get in contact with Merache-san to arrange a dinner appointment at Meimon Restaurant."

"Merache-san's schedule doesn't allow appointments until next week."

"I'm an old friend. Can you please let him know Erika is calling?"

"Of course, Erika-san."

Manx waited for the transition. Before long, Merache's distinguished voice answered shortly. "…Manx? Is that really you?"

"Yes, Merache-san," Manx replied. "I have to meet with you as soon as possible tonight. Can you make it? It's urgent!"

"Where?" Merache's voice was definitely curious. He hadn't expected a call from Manx after the death of Persia.

"Meimon Restaurant."

"I get off work at seven," Merache told her. "I can be there by seven thirty."

"I'll be waiting. Thank you." Manx closed her cell phone with a snap and gave the group a smile. "Seven thirty at Meimon Restaurant."

"Manx, you are the best," Kirei was impressed. "But why Meimon?"

"Meimon is a Kritiker restaurant. I will alert the agents to guard the doors while I meet with Merache. The rest of you should be in the background as guests. You can join the conversation when I am given the signal everything is clear. With my way, we are in control of the situation." Manx stood up to go. "We eliminate the risks of having too many people knowing what is being said."

"Thank you, Manx, for everything you did for us," Kirei said.

Manx turned to regard Naitsuusha and Kirei. "And thank you for keeping me safe the day Persia died. I know...this is your house, isn't it, Fushiro-san? The one, Gabriel Anderson fortified."

"You knew him?" she whispered to Manx.

"Not personally," Manx shook her head. "I was recruited after his death. But then there are still a few who knew the nine people who built Kritiker's communications operations from the foundation up." Manx turned to the group. "I'll meet you tonight at Meimon. Be early," advised Manx before she stood to leave.

"We'll definitely do that." Kirei smiled graciously at her. Manx was a great help to them and she, unlike Naitsuusha, was able to show her thanks. Kayla was excited, talking to Naitsuusha, who was listening with one ear, about the location of Meimon. Naitsuusha didn't like the fact Meimon was a Kritiker base but they need Merache's cooperation if he knew Chimera.

* * *

Schuldig was surprised no one bothered to report them as intruders when they broke into the house. He was sure the alarm would go off.

"Someone was here before us," Crawford said darkly at the control panel. His hand reached inside his cream-colored suit jacket for his handgun. A very thorough rewiring allowed Farfarello access to Karmesinrot Rache's home.

Schuldig was shocked by Crawford's statement. "You can tell already?" Schuldig spent more than a few minutes staring at the wires, trying to make sense out of them but Crawford only looked for three seconds to see Farfarello's handiwork. "No one's home," Schuldig said, shrugging.

Crawford gave him an annoyed look. "I know that." Schuldig already scanned the home for people but it had been empty for quite a while. _They're already dead. No one_ would _be home._ "Let's go upstairs."

"After you," Schuldig smirked but left his gun inside its holster. Crawford replaced his, biting down on the feeling Schuldig baited him with his eyes about cowardice before he led the way upstairs. The leader of Schwarz feared no one. The first room he walked into was Naitsuusha's. He looked over it with mild surprise. It was pretty much bare. It showcased none of the Naitsuusha's artistic talents he knew she possessed in her youth.

"Schuldig?" Crawford called out but he had gone into a different room. _Panther's room_ , Crawford thought impatiently. _He's become obsessed with her. I know he knows something about her past he's not telling me._ Crawford quickly went through his half-sister's things with rapid efficiency. There was nothing incriminating about her...except for that personal laptop on her desk. Crawford smirked with satisfaction as he tucked the laptop protectively underneath his arm and went to find Schuldig. The other rooms were of no concern to him.

Schuldig stared at the wall scroll that adorned the wall opposite Jade's bed. A blended scene of a metropolis, forest, and ocean were burning in brilliant colors. _Let the world burn to let dreams take flight_ , Schuldig read. He flipped it over the black surface to see a stylized silver panther, a personal emblem, in the corner of the wall scroll. Schuldig removed the cloth scroll and rolled it up.

"Do you have what you want?" Crawford asked him. "I want to return to headquarters."

"I'm done here," said Schuldig, tucking the wall scroll under his arm in a similar manner to Crawford's. "Nagi's not done. He would have called you if he was."

The two men of Schwarz left the house with their new possessions in hand without any trouble at all.

* * *

Merache was now officially late for his meeting. Aya picked on an appetizer, mindful of the streets through the opaque windows. The rains fell harder tonight, water lashing against the panes. Kayla and Kirei, doing the double-date thing, were talking quietly to each other while Omi and Ken listened to their words. Their table looked most natural, their youthfulness offsetting any suspicion.

Yohji and Neu were in a shadowed corner. Yohji sipped on wine while Neu poured over the stack of papers brought by Manx. Naitsuusha sat with the bartender, sipping water and watching the proceedings in the mirror behind the bar.

Manx waited patiently, knowing Merache wouldn't miss their appointment. She trusted the man. It wasn't something she could do easily in her line of work but the businessman was sincere to Persia when they sought his help. Chimera delivered Karmesinrot Rache as hoped. The four female assassins did their best, almost dying in the process.

The uniformed maitre'd guided Merache towards their table where Manx waited, garbed in a splendid shade of blue tonight. Manx chose a table away from the window near the kitchen. She was one of the nine customers in the small cozy restaurant. Merache bowed to her, apologizing profusely for being late. Merache looked around the restaurant and shook his head after being seated before the understanding woman. "Next time, you must let me choose the restaurant, Manx-san."

"This place is suitable for our meeting," Manx said with an appreciative smile. "The company is what matters most." Her easy-going attitude hid the sly intonation of her words.

Yohji frowned, thinking Manx never flirted with _him_ before. It might have been well. He had Asuka now. Everyone strained to hear the table's conversation and kept an eye out on the waiter. They were waiting for the signal to speak freely after Kritiker agents secured the perimeter. Manx told them wine meant it was safe to talk and water was unsafe.

 _Wine_ , everyone thought in near unison when the red liquid swished in the crystal glasses when the male agent placed them before Manx and Merache. The waiter bowed low to Manx before returning to the kitchen. The bartender nodded to Naitsuusha before leaving the floor as well.

Merache turned to face the now-locked glass door with suspicion. He had a gun inside his briefcase and a smaller one inside its shoulder holster but he prayed he wouldn't have to use it. "This isn't a regular dinner date, is it?" Merache asked Manx in a serious voice.

"I'm sorry about the deception," said Manx, "but this _is_ urgent."

"What do we need to talk about?"

"Panther," Manx said without qualms. "You know of Karmesinrot Rache because you work under Chimera."

"That part is true. I told you before that I'm not Chimera." Merache eyed the others. "They're not real customers."

"No," Manx said. "They're my bodyguards."

"You have a lot of bodyguards," Merache remarked calmly. "But go on."

"Do you know who kidnapped Panther?"

Merache gave Manx his best "shocked" look. "She's been kidnapped?"

"Don't lie, Merache-san," Manx said darkly. "It doesn't suit you."

"Who told you she was kidnapped?" Merache asked her, interested for his own research. He turned towards Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache. He smiled despite himself, recognizing Kirei and Kayla from the back.

"People," replied Manx and drew Merache's attention back to her. "But I need to know if you know who took her."

"Fine, I'll stop with the lies if you will." Merache sighed, bravado deserting him. "Friends should not lie to each other."

"Agreed," Manx replied, smiling at him. She knew she trusted him for a reason.

"First of all, I can tell Karmesinrot Rache is in this room with me." Merache gave Naitsuusha an appraising look. "This is the first time I've seen you." Naitsuusha scowled. Kirei lifted her head at his words. Kirei, the better actress, hid her surprise better. To the younger two girls, he said: "Yes, my daughters, I've seen the both of you the night you fled from your home." He then turned to the males with a measuring regard. "They must be Weiß."

"It doesn't matter who we are!" Naitsuusha stalked towards their table. "What happened to Panther?"

"I met her once before in person," Merache ignored Naitsuusha's question. "She played the violin excellently during Takatori's party. It was very boring party and the only highlight was Panther and her violin."

Naitsuusha leaned forward to grab Merache's collar. "I don't care if you're working with Chimera. I'll kill you if you don't tell me where Panther is." Merache regarded her with a loving smile that made Naitsuusha's azure eyes softened at their sincerity. "Who _are_ you?"

"Christopher Merache," Merache replied. "Your father, so to speak."

"What?" she asked. Kirei and Kayla left their table at Merache's answer. Weiß did the same so a large crowd formed around Manx and Merache.

 _Now I'm surrounded with no way out_ , thought Merache morosely. He straightened in his chair and began to talk again, "Panther was kidnapped by a tall man with silver hair in black and blue. From what I could see...it looked like a member of Schwarz."

"Farfarello!" Aya said.

Naitsuusha also reacted with, "Schwarz has her?" _That's even worse than me being held by Schreient! Jade could be dead by now!_

"How can you tell?" Kirei was quick to ask. "Are you sure of this description?"

"I was there to see it because I had been observing your home for my own reasons."

"What reasons are those?" Naitsuusha asked suspiciously. _Jade, please be okay. If this man is working with Schwarz, I swear I'll avenge you._

"Personal curiosity about my four daughters," Merache replied, giving her another genuine smile. Naitsuusha was startled with his manners towards her. He was freely giving out information. "I work for Chimera but I'm a low ranking agent. Chimera is highly impersonal with me so I operate on pre-arranged codes, ritualistic procedures, and faith on the man who I have never ever seen."

"Chimera never spoke to you?" Kayla asked him. "But what do you do?"

"I supply my four beautiful daughters with their toys," said Merache. "Your mission tools all come from my enterprise. Which is Chimera's enterprise but I handle everything in the public eye. In that way, I am the public face of Chimera."

"Why do you need to know about us?"

"To protect you, of course!" Merache said it in a way that made it seemed obvious. "Everyone in Chimera's organization is working to protect Karmesinrot Rache in one form or another. Karmesinrot Rache is Chimera's jewel."

"Do you know where Schwarz is?" Manx asked him. "Taking out Eszet was important for both Kritiker and Chimera."

"No," Merache shook his head. "Eszet is a bigger organization than Chimera's and they have more bases world-wide than Kritiker and Chimera combined."

"Schwarz has Panther," said Kirei. "We have to save her right away."

"Thank you," Manx said. "I'm sorry for inviting you to dinner and not sharing a meal."

Merache accepted her apologies courteously. "This isn't the first time I've gone without a meal. I'll live."

Manx went to signal the Kritiker agents to release Merache from the building. Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache stood to leave but Merache placed his hand on Kayla's.

"Falcon, have you ever had a vision of me?" Merache asked her.

"Just once," said Kayla, sounding surprised that he knew of her powers.

"That's wonderful!" Merache sounded ecstatic. "I hoped all my daughters would be able to know my face."

"Maybe you would like to know my name?" Kayla offered. "It is Kayla Keough."

"It's a very lovely name," Merache said. "It fits you."

"Thank you." Kayla beamed as Ken took her hand and led her towards the door. It was now safe to leave the room. Manx returned along with the waiter and bartender.

"I guess it's asking too much to know yours as well," said Merache sadly as he gazed at Kirei and Naitsuusha longingly.

"Naitsuusha," Naitsuusha replied to her surprise. He was sincere in all his words and gestures.

"And you?" Merache turned to Kirei. "My youngest and prettiest daughter?"

Kirei laughed pleasantly. "Everyone calls me pretty, even Chimera. My name is Kirei Kakumei."

Merache smiled brightly at her reply. "How wonderful! It means pretty," Merache's green eyes went wider with realization, "...revolution." _Project Revolution! Kirei Kakumei! That's the password!_

"Weiß, Rache, let's go," Manx said. "Kritiker needs to close this place down."

"My dears, if you need to see me for anything at all, you know how to contact me," Merache said hastily as he picked up his suitcase. "But it's late and we all must go home. I'm sure you will manage to save Panther."

Yohji lagged behind, smoking a cigarette inside the hallway outside the ladies room where Neu was. The brightly lit emergency exit at the end of the hall showed the door was blown open by the wind. Yohji walked over to shut it, trying to be helpful towards the staff. He reached for the horizontal bar and felt a whip wrapped itself around his wrist before he was pulled outside into the alley. The red whip wrapped itself around his neck and tightened quickly.

"Yohji!" Neu dashed out in the alley and slid on the slick stones. "Let him go!"

"Neu!" Tot's excited voice shouted over the rain as she grabbed Neu around the neck in a tight hug. Neu pushed Tot away, trying to get to Yohji.

"Let him go!" Neu shouted desperately. His struggles became weaker. Neu tackled Shöen to the ground. The whip's hold around Yohji's throat slackened. His eyes filled with stinging rain as he rolled onto his side, coughing hoarsely until the blue in his face vanished. He saw a car pull up. He craned his neck to see Shöen drag Neu into the car with Hell behind the wheel.

"Yohji!" Neu shouted frantically before Shöen forced Neu into the car and Schreient drove away.

"Asuka!" Yohji shouted to the empty alley as Schreient's small car vanished.


	40. Mission 10 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 10 Retter – Savior (Rising Hope)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-03-04

* * *

Schuldig doubled over from Nagi's mind before they reached inside the house. _He's found Chimera!_ Before he could tell Crawford, Nagi was already shouting his victory.

"Crawford!" Nagi's voice came from upstairs when Crawford entered the foyer. "Crawford!" Crawford raced to Nagi's workroom. Farfarello was already there, sitting on the edge of his seat as he stared at the blinking red dot. "He's in Tokyo," Nagi gave an account of Chimera's location. Crawford listened attentively. A look of desire entered his eyes behind his glasses. Brad Crawford was finally successful.

"You don't have his picture?" Schuldig asked as he stumbled into the room, his head throbbing. His mental barriers were being reinforced and soon he was back to his normal self.

"What type of security does he have?" Crawford asked Nagi. "How many guards?"

"Not enough to make a difference," Farfarello answered instead. His knife shot out from its handle, blade gleaming silvery blue. "Not enough to make me happy."

"Chimera dies at dawn." Crawford took Nagi's seat and began memorizing the layout of the skyscraper home Chimera lived in. "Then it'll be finished."

Farfarello turned to Crawford as a predatory smile filled his face. _He should know. It's time to tell him._

 _Farfarello, don't!_ Schuldig thought quickly.

Farfarello turned to face him. He golden eye brightened as intrigue filled it. _Why not, Schuldig? Have you grown fond of the cat?_

Schuldig smirked. _Do you really want to kill her so fast?_

Fafarello shrugged. _It's my hobby. I already told her that._ Farfarello's gaze went to the direction of the shack near the pond. _She looks forward to it._

 _Give her to me_ , Schuldig said.

 _Why?_ Farfarello asked his teammate. _What do I get out of it?_

 _Falcon and Viper_ , Schuldig said sadistically.

 _What about Nagi?_ Farfarello jerked his head towards the silent teenager.

 _He only wants Tot_ , Schuldig answered knowledgably.

Nagi turned to see Schuldig smirking at him. The Japanese boy looked over at Farfarello. He suspected they were having a conversation about him.

 _That's right, Nagi. We're talking about your Tot_ , Schuldig thought.

 _Crawford wants Raven. Do you know why?_ Farfarello asked him.

 _It's personal_ , Schuldig replied, staring at the back of Crawford's head intently as if he could see the thoughts and plans Crawford carefully calculated and stored. _I don't think we'll ever know why._ Schuldig laughed slightly, drawing Crawford's attention. _Maybe Crawford still loves his little sister._

 _Love is an illusion_ , Farfarello said in disgust. _It blinds you. It makes you do stupid things for people who would only betray you._

 _I know that_ , Schuldig said after Crawford returned to his work. _But Nagi needs to learn that._

 _Do you love anyone, Schuldig?_ Farfarello wanted to know.

 _Of course not_ , Schuldig scoffed. _Don't ask stupid questions._

 _You can have Panther_ , thought Farfarello. _She's not fun anymore. She doesn't scream._

 _Oh she's screaming on the inside when you hurt her. You just can't hear her_ , replied Schuldig. _I do. She screams a lot._

"Crawford, how long is this going to take?" Farfarello ended his mental conversation with Schuldig for a verbal one. He walked over to lean over Crawford's shoulder.

"Dawn is coming in a matter of hours," Crawford replied in clipped voice. "That's how long it'll take. You three are dismissed."

"Yes milord," Schuldig gave Crawford a mock bow before sauntering out of the workroom. Nagi followed close on his heels to intercept him.

"What are you talking about with Farfarello?" Nagi asked him. "I know it was about me."

"Nagi," Schuldig wrapped his arm around Nagi's thin shoulders and stopped in the hallway. "I'm going to tell you something that you should always remember."

"What?" Nagi was startled. Schuldig was rarely serious with him.

"Tot's going to be killed by Crawford," Schuldig said to him, looking down at the short boy. "Tot, like all of Schreient, and even Schwarz, are tools for Crawford to use to achieve his plans. No one is safe from Crawford, not even me. But I've come to terms with that. I've decided following Crawford is better than following Eszet. So when the time comes for Schwarz and Eszet to finally part ways-" Schuldig paused and changed his words, "no, do it now. Do it before the time comes. Make your loyalties and stay by them even if things get...complicated."

"To-Tot doesn't have anything to do with this!" Nagi sputtered out. "I don't understand!"

Schuldig gave Nagi a hard look. "You know you do." Schuldig released his hold on Nagi. "Nagi, you're smart. Smarter than me. Make the right choice." Schuldig left Nagi standing there, dwelling in his muddled thoughts of loyalty and love.

Farfarello left the house to give his cat one final visit. Jade was still hung upside down in Farfarello's straightjacket. Chains bound her tightly and the end was draped over a beam and anchored by the hook nailed into the roof. Schuldig walked into the shack to see Farfarello plucking at the dying flowers, their fragrance still strong in the enclosed shack.

"Kill her, kill her not, kill her, kill her not," Farfarello muttered over the growing pile of shredded nadeshiko petals in front of him. Schuldig kept himself away from her mind for the time being as he waited patiently for Farfarello to finish. Schuldig leaned just inside the open door, watching the falling rain.

"Kill her not," Farfarello ended with finality as the last petal landed on the floor. He crawled over towards Jade, looking at her like a curious child. "Schuldig said you scream inside your head." Jade's eyes moved to glare at Schuldig. "What do you scream? What are you saying in there?" Farfarello brought forth one of Naitsuusha's needles. "Would Raven know? Can she tell me?" Farfarello gave Jade another look full of curiosity. "Schuldig said he wants you. So I'm giving you to him for Viper and Falcon instead." Farfarello turned to Schuldig. "If she bleeds to death from her wounds and dies, I still get to keep them."

"Of course," said Schuldig grandly. "They're all yours."

Farfarello smiled, a real smile, and he left silently, disappearing into the darkness. Schuldig sighed slightly, the only noise in the room. He walked over to Jade and kneeled before her. He gingerly peeled off the tape on her mouth, massaging the abused skin from consistent application and removal of tape. Jade jerked her head away from his hands and Schuldig took the hint to back away. Jade refrained from licking her cracked, bleeding lips to prevent the taste of chemical adhesive and _Schuldig_ from entering her mouth.

"What do you want?" Jade asked him finally. "What do you get out of this trade?"

"Someone to talk to." Schuldig said, his face unreadable.

"That's it?" Jade asked him, sounding amazed. "I'm sorry but I'm not a therapist to cure whatever issues you have."

"Therapy." Schuldig chuckled playfully. "Do you really think what this is?"

"No," Jade replied darkly. "But I am curious about the fact why I'm still alive and you haven't told Brad about me."

"First, you're alive because Farfarello gave you to me," Schuldig smirked. "Secondly, Crawford doesn't know about you because he already thinks you're dead and he's focused on killing Chimera in," Schuldig shrugged without checking his watch, "a few hours. When the sun rises in the sky, Chimera's night will fall."

"You're lying," said Jade. "There's no way that's going to happen. Chimera can't be found and killed that easily."

"Believe what you want, Panther," Schuldig said to her with another shrug. "But by the time the sun rises, Chimera's blood will spill."

Schuldig left her, leaving the door open, confident the girl could not escape and no one would hear her voice in the dead of the night. Jade felt a growing darkness in her heart. _He_ does _know where Chimera is_ _!_ Jade realized in horror after opening her mind. _He's working on the plan right now! I have to get out of here! I can't let them kill Chimera!_

Jade gave a tremendous effort to free herself but days of being weakened from hunger, dehydration, and now blood loss sapped most of her strength. She struggled until she could move no more. The rain came down in a haze of wetness. Jade watched the sky, dreading the arrival of morning. _I can't stay here! Every minute that I'm still stuck in this fucking shack, Brad gets more time to discover my presence._ Jade wasn't scared of Farfarello or his knives. She wasn't scared of Schuldig and his uncanny ability to push her buttons. But she was scared of Crawford and his inhuman eyes that drew her into his mind and world...those eyes belonged to the king of demons. Her mind went to Chimera when the rain stopped. The clouds in the skies lost their smoky gray color as the first beam of light speared through the hope in Jade's heart _._

* * *

Schwarz went in Crawford's signal, weapons held easily in practiced hands. The guards at the base of the tall skyscraper went down swiftly and silently. Nagi got rid of their corpses. Farfarello's barbaric side caused his mouth to twist in a feral grin. Crawford and Schuldig went in first with the other two covering their backs. Schuldig's mind scanned the floors for guards and Schwarz avoided those they could. They boldly took the elevator the highest floor.

 _In Greek mythology, a chimera_ , Crawford thought as Schwarz waited for the lift to reach the highest floor, _is a fire-breathing monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. A monster thought to be an illusion of the mind because no one had ever seen it. But tonight that will change. Tonight...Chimera will lose his head._

The elevator doors slid open noiselessly to reveal a dim hallway. There was only one door on this floor to the realm of Chimera. Crawford stepped out onto the rich green carpet, his footsteps silent. Nagi, Farfarello, and Schuldig followed their leader, anticipating the kill. Farfarello held two long knives in his hands as they pointed forward, leading the hunter to the ultimate being. Nagi walked behind him confidently, his telekinetic bubble already protecting all four from possible attack. Schuldig's mind swept the area continuously.

 _Is Chimera inside?_ Crawford asked Schuldig.

 _I sense a single presenc_ e, replied Schuldig. _But I can't read their thoughts._

 _Chimera thinks he can protect himself from Schwarz_ , Crawford thought. _It's quite possible he can. It's time to see if we're as strong as we think._ Crawford's hand went to the doorknob and it turned easily in his hand. The thick wooden doors swung open on oiled hinges to reveal a large room with a large window. The patio door was open, allowing Schwarz to see a large table in the middle of a garden. The frigid wind flung the heavy cashmere drapes around like flimsy cotton. Crawford turned to his left to see a living room in an oval bowl lower than their current height. A bulky figure sat there, unmoving like a stone statue.

Crawford pointed his gun at the figure and fired a single shot. The figure didn't stir. Crawford knew the bullet should have hit its mark but he heard a tiny _tink_ when the metal bullet fell on the coffee table.

"Schwarz, explain to me what is the meaning of this intrusion," the figure said in an ominous voice. "I don't take lightly to being disturbed."

The lights came on to reveal the elderly woman of Eszet's hard look. Crawford faltered, his gun dropping out of view quickly like a chastised child. Farfarello stared at the woman in shock and she met his eye squarely. Her powerful presence pressed the disapproval she felt into his body until he dropped both knives on the floor. Schuldig's lips pressed together in a thin line as sheen of sweat covered his brow at the sudden change of circumstances. Nagi shook with fear after the woman tore through his defenses to let him know that he was still a little boy dressed in adult clothing.

"Eszet-sama." Crawford bowed to Eszet in a stiff manner. His joints were locked into place just by her glare. "My apologies. Schwarz thought there was an enemy that lived here and we came to rectify the matter."

"I am very disappointed in you," Eszet said sharply. "Get out."

"We apologize again, Eszet-sama," Crawford replied before he turned to walk away. The rest of Schwarz forced their limbs to cooperate. Farfarello didn't dare bend down to retrieve his weapons. After they left the suite, the doors closed behind them silently and locked. Schwarz took a collective breath. Crawford stalked off first towards the waiting elevator. They rode it down. It wasn't until Schwarz was safely in their car that Crawford was able to speak. "It was Eszet!" Crawford said tensely. "Of all the people to shoot a bullet at, it was Eszet! Nagi, you said you found Chimera!"

"That is Chimera!" said Nagi. "My calculations are thorough and I'm not wrong."

"Eszet is not Chimera," Farfarello stated.

"Or maybe it is," mused Nagi. "No one has ever seen Chimera. Chimera could easily be Eszet in disguise."

" _Panther_ has seen Chimera! Panther has seen a _man_ named Chimera!" shouted Schuldig. He wiped his brow with his hand and rubbed the fear-sweat into his pants. He turned to Crawford, throat feeling uncomfortable after the enormous pressure Eszet placed on them just by her presence. "Now what?"

"It hasn't been a waste of effort," said Crawford grimly. "We now know we cannot be surprised during the Kundalini experiment."

Nagi sulked in the backseat. He knew everyone blamed him. But he knew he was right! Chimera was in that room and she was Eszet! Nagi's information was never wrong.

Eszet stood up and bowed graciously to her guest. Manticore materialized from the darkness of the room and retook his seat beside Eszet. His tailored gray pants had been recently ironed and his olive green shirt fitted. He was a respectable looking man with black hair and cynical eyes. "Schwarz has been trying to kill me for some time now," he said thoughtfully. "This is an admirable effort for them to track me down to your exquisite home."

"This hovel is not suitable for your presence." Eszet shook her head sadly. "I'm ashamed to meet with you in such a tiny place."

"Great manors with rolling lands cannot be everywhere," said Manticore wryly. "It is more than a suitable place for our meeting."

"Let us resume our talks, Chimera," encouraged Eszet. "You were about to tell me something about Karmesinrot Rache."

"My assassin team was killed by Schwarz," said Manticore, sounding offended. "I thought Eszet and I had an agreement."

"My humblest apologies!" Eszet said frantically. "If only Eszet knew Karmesinrot Rache was working under your orders, we wouldn't have encouraged Schwarz to attack your team."

"It is too late for that," Manticore said darkly. "But like the able leader of Schwarz, I want to rectify the matter. I was hoping you could recommend me some potential people rising in our field."

"I'm sure I can arrange something for you, Chimera," said Eszet. She gasped in delight at a sudden thought. "You should come to the Kundalini ceremony! It would be a joy to have you there when we revive the Great One! After all, you've been funding the research for years now and helped us locate the Book of Transcendentalism!"

"It would please me very much to be there," replied Manticore. "Thank you for your time tonight and I apologize for any inconvenience." He did not bow to Eszet since one king did not bestow the petty honor on another. Manticore appeared on the helicopter pad on the roof on Eszet's Tokyo suite. A small helicopter, seating only two people, waited for him. Manticore climbed into the pilot's seat and buckled himself tightly. Rain turned to snow during their meeting. The machine rose gracefully like a predatory bird into the storm clouds.

 _The talks always go well_ , thought Manticore disappointedly. _I miss the days when we were on stepping each other's toes but their constant need to appease me recently is getting on my nerves. This Kundalini ceremony has the entire lot of them turning soft-headed when they think of its success. The only reason Chimera funded such a stupid project was because we wanted to start an alliance with Eszet in Japan. But their idiotic beliefs will be their downfall._

Manticore kept his gaze on the white mass of Tokyo, his heart beating in time with the mechanical life beat of the helicopter's. Humanity fears the unknown, the unconceivable. The true Chimera was created out of that. It was the darkness lurking in the corners, the light that blinded people from the truth. The true Chimera was everything and nothing.

Somewhere, the true Chimera saw everything in her plans going down the path it was meant to. She gazed down at the planet of blue water, green and brown lands, and the white wispy clouds in the skies. Chimera reached deep inside the earth and spoke, "Proceed to Ground Zero."

Chimera's order fell on the ears of those connected to the lifeline. A total wipe of the system blazed through the computers and satellites as Ground Zero was initiated. It was time to restart the playing board. All old pieces must be thrown away. Karmesinrot Rache teetered on the edge between valuable and trash.

* * *

Tot played happily with Rabbi and Mousie at a three-person tea party. It was a human sized tea set bought by Masafumi as a present for Tot's good behavior. He had it handcrafted from England just for Tot. "Neu is home," Tot said happily as she served everyone tea and cookies. "Neu's going to stay with Tot again!"

"Tot," Nagi's voice came from the window. Tot turned around to see Nagi floating in her room. The window latched closed behind him. Tot stood up with a delighted smile and ran to give Nagi a tight hug.

"Nagi-kun!" Tot pulled Nagi over to join her tea party. "Nagi-kun, do you want any cookies?" Tot offered him the overflowing plate. Nagi shook his head but Tot picked one up. "Aahh." She moved the cookie to his mouth. Nagi blushed as he opened his mouth. Tot fed him with a giggle. "Nagi-kun, I heard kisses taste like cookies," said Tot innocently. "Have you ever kissed before?"

Nagi was saved from answering his crush by choking on his mouthful of cookie. Tot patted his back gently, having practice from Rabbi who had a tendency on choking on carrots, until Nagi's windpipe was clear. Nagi sipped the lukewarm tea and moistened his raw throat.

"Nagi-kun, do you want to kiss me?" Tot asked him innocently. Nagi felt the blood rise in his cheeks again and mumbled something. Tot giggled at the silly Nagi.

"You're happy today," said Nagi when the verbal territory was safer to tread. "I was worried about you."

"Tot wasn't happy for awhile...but Neu came home so Tot's happy again!" Tot twirled with Rabbi, lacy skirts fluttering. "Neu's gonna play with Tot again! And once Papa comes home, Tot will have a real family!"

"Where did Neu go?" Nagi asked her.

Tot stopped spinning and then crouched down. She leaned in towards Nagi's face and whispered coyly, "It's a secret. Tot's not supposed to tell Nagi-kun because he's Schwarz."

"I'm your friend, Tot," Nagi frowned but he was curious.

Tot laughed lightly, falling into Nagi who caught her. The two of them blushed but Tot snuggled deeper into Nagi's arms with Rabbi in her own. "Nagi-kun wants to know. Tot will tell you her secret."

"What happened to Neu?"

"Neu was living with Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache for a few days," replied Tot. She looked up to Nagi's disbelieving blue eyes. "It's true. They're living in Seito forest. But Neu tricked Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache into trusting her! Schreient will set a trap and kill them all!"

"Bu-but Schwarz...an-and Jigen...and Crawford!" Nagi sputtered incredulously. "That's not possible!"

"Tot doesn't lie," Tot sulked, pulling away from Nagi. "Tot never lies." Tot turned away. "Tot's not telling you her other secrets," Tot declared haughtily. "Nagi-kun thinks Tot's a liar."

"You're not a liar," Nagi said. "I'm sorry, Tot."

She crawled over to sit by Nagi and then told him everything Schreient knew from Neu, including Naitsuusha's kidnapping, Jade's kidnapping, Manx's appearance, the home in Seito forest, and the most shocking news of all: Christopher Merache revealing Farfarello had Panther captive in Schwarz's headquarters.

When Tot was finished without interruption, Nagi found his voice from the constant shock of each development. "Don't fight against Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache, Tot. They'll kill you."

"I'll be okay, Nagi-kun!" Tot smiled. "Schreient's got a plan!"

Nagi grabbed her arms and held her, "Don't fight! You might die!"

"I like Nagi-kun a lot," said Tot seriously. "After we kill our enemies, we'll go on a date and have a kiss, okay?"

"When is Schreient planning on fighting Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache?" Nagi asked Tot.

"Tomorrow night at midnight," said Tot. "Hell's going to send the challenge soon but we're already prepared if they attack us earlier."

"Tot, don't fight!" Nagi begged her.

"I have to, Nagi-kun," Tot said softly. "Tot has to."

"I-I'll...come again tomorrow." Nagi stood up with a pained expression on his face and went to the window. Tears threatened to fall at the thought of Tot dying in battle. He unlatched it clumsily in his blindness and climbed through the window to float down to the waiting car.

Tot smiled despite it all, not comprehending the danger in store for her. Instead she said to Rabbi, "Nagi-kun's so romantic to climb through Tot's window to see her." She hugged Rabbi to her chest tightly and giggled at the memory of Nagi blushing.

Nagi touched down on the snow-covered ground. His blue eyes grew stony at the sight of Schuldig waiting in the car. _Does_ _Schuldig know Farfarello has Panther captive? Why didn't they say anything to me?_ He didn't care if Schuldig had been nice by bringing him to see Tot after Crawford dropped them off at the mansion. The sight of Nagi moping in the backseat got to him so he offered to take Nagi to see his girl.

Schuldig looked up when Nagi yanked open the door. The boy spent some time in Tot's bedroom and Schuldig actually gave them their privacy. His mind was on other matters, things relating to Chimera and Karmesinrot Rache. And of course, Jade.

"Farfarello kidnapped Panther and I didn't know about it!" Nagi said darkly as he got into the car. "Why not?"

"Don't feel bad about being left out, Nagi," Schuldig said, turning on the car and the heat began to melt the frost on the windows. "Crawford doesn't know about it either."

Nagi gaped at him, "Why didn't you tell him?"

Schuldig didn't answer. He really didn't know. "It wasn't important."

"How can it not be important?" Nagi shouted uncharacteristically. "It's Panther, not some random date of yours! Karmesinrot Rache is alive!" Schuldig set his jaw in silent stubbornness. "Schuldig, you have to tell Crawford," Nagi tried to persuade him. "Crawford will kill us if he found out Panther escaped and we didn't tell him about it!"

"That's why we can't let him know," Schuldig explained. "Farfarello agreed to be silent about it."

"You can't be serious," said Nagi, crossing his arms and shaking his head as Schuldig took them home. "Crawford will know. He _always_ knows."

"I'll deal with that when the time comes," replied Schuldig, unconcerned about the consequences. "Jus keep it to yourself."

"I don't know if I can," replied Nagi. "Schreient is planning on fighting Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache tomorrow night at midnight. Tot...will be in the fight."

"You think Tot will be killed," said Schuldig, glancing over at Nagi. "You don't want her to fight."

Nagi nodded. "She said she has to."

"It's true. She does," Schuldig replied, turning serious. "Tot's already decided her loyalty. It's to Schreient. You have to decide where yours is. And soon, Nagi. Eszet's not pleased with us. They'll want Fujimiya Aya as soon as possible. Once they have her in their hands, Schwarz will be ordered to kill Schreient."

"You don't know that!" Nagi argued. "Schreient can still live! They did everything for Eszet."

"Nagi," Schuldig said harshly. "Eszet can also order Schreient to kill us in exchange for Takatori Masafumi and they'll gladly do it."

"But that-"

"They _will_ try to kill us," Schuldig said in a hard voice, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. "And you know Tot will definitely follow the orders. Eszet doesn't care about what we did for them in the past. Once our use is over, we're dead. That's why Crawford wants to leave Eszet. He knows how the organization really works."

Nagi stayed silent as Schuldig words sank into his mind. _It's true about Eszet...but Tot wouldn't kill me! She lov-,_ Nagi stopped and then sighed. _She likes me._

"Nagi, don't tell Crawford about Panther." Schuldig stopped the car in the driveway when they reached their headquarters. Nagi got out of the car wordlessly. _Nagi!_ Schuldig called out, sounding slightly worried.

 _Okay_ , Nagi replied dejectedly as he vanished into the house. Schuldig stayed in the car, watching the snow. It increased its intensity as the day worn on and now, night began to fall. Schuldig went inside the home to get a few items. He entered Farfarello's room to see him cutting on himself. Schuldig shook his head, feeling his disappointment at losing his knives in Eszet's suite and at failing to kill Chimera.

"I'm going to take this, Farfarello." Schuldig picked up a deadly looking weapon from Farfarello's bed and pulled out to see the thin blade. Schuldig looked at Farfarello for a reply but he was too interested in his own form of amusement. Schuldig left with it, making a quick stop in another room for supplies. _Make your loyalties and stay by them...even if things get complicated_ , Schuldig repeated his advice to himself. He trampled through the fresh light snow towards the shack. It was time to finally end things between Panther and Schwarz.

Schuldig stopped in the doorway to see Jade's smirk at him even though she was still restrained. He walked into the room slowly, stopping by the lantern. It finally used up all its fuel and Schuldig wasn't able to relight it. _I don't need the light,_ Schuldig thought confidently as he turned to shut the door.

Jade began to laugh at him. "I take it Chimera's still alive? Brad's ready to piss his pants when Eszet called to bitch at him for trying to shoot her."

Schuldig stopped just out of reach of Jade and asked her, not sounding surprised at all, "You've been reading our minds?"

"Just the thoughts exploding out of your brains," Jade responded with an unseen shrug. "I got nothing on you. I didn't expect to since you blocked everyone out."

"You won't ever, Nadeshiko," said Schuldig lightly. "You can't beat me at telepathy."

"Stop calling me that," Jade's mood went darker than the room they were in. "If you call me that again, I'll kill you."

"What if I kill you first?" Schuldig asked her, bringing forth the weapon.

"You die," she stated maliciously.

Schuldig laughed. He took his right hand off the hilt. Jade studied his shadowy figure closely. He waited, watching her just as intensely. Schuldig's presence began to discomfort her. His jade green eyes were piercing, carefully deconstructing her shields. His psychic link latched on hers. She shivered at the desire looming inside of his subconscious.

 _Stop it_ _,_ Jade commanded in her mind immediately.

 _Why?_ Schuldig asked her, raising an eyebrow. He didn't gloat despite his success.

 _Because I know you will_ , she replied matter-of-factly. Schuldig closed the connection. Jade paused, a bit surprised he obeyed despite her confident words. "Now let me down. You're not Farfarello."

He opened the door, stopping when enough light filled the room. He studied the chain. "The chain is hooked. I'm going to have to lower you."

"The floor's dirty!" Jade was appalled at the thought of touching the muddy floorboards.

"You're such a demanding bitch, Jade."

"You're such a whipped bastard, Schuldig."

Schuldig took off his jacket to it on the floor beneath Jade. "Happy now, milady?"

"Yes, slave," Jade retorted before Schuldig lowered her. Her legs were probably leaner from the process of being suspended. Schuldig freed the chains around her legs carefully. She stretched them to ease the cramps. She pulled herself into a sitting position and brooded for a few minutes. "I think you're enjoying this!" Jade gave Schuldig an incredulous look.

Schuldig made a disgusted sound. "I'd rather sleep with Crawford."

"Now _that_ is an idea," Jade replied evenly. Schuldig added a disgusted face to another disgusted sound as he sat down. He rummaged through the large brown paper bag he brought.

"What are you doing?" Jade asked him but Schuldig remained quiet. She probed his mind but he blocked her. Her powers extended towards Schwarz's mansion for clues about Schuldig's mysterious actions. Farfarello was still cutting himself and Nagi moped over Tot from Schreient. Jade felt pity for the boy's confused situation.

A sharp snap recaptured Jade's attention when Schuldig opened a bottled water. Schuldig held it towards Jade without looking at her. When she didn't drink, he looked over. "You don't want it?" Schuldig asked her, mildly amused at her reaction. "I didn't poison it."

Jade rolled her eyes. "Do I look like I can hold it?"

"Why don't you use your telekinesis?" Schuldig wondered, placing a straw in the bottle before holding it in front of Jade once more.

"What are you talking about?" Jade looked at him suspiciously over the bottle.

Sculdig scoffed, "I'm pretty sure it wasn't Nagi who tossed me out of the way while you charged me on the rooftop of Jigen. And believe me, I already asked him."

"Hmph."

"Turn around _,_ "Schuldig ordered calmly after Jade finished the bottle.

"Why?" Jade asked, feeling better now she was rehydrated.

"I'll show you after," Schuldig replied matter-of-factly. Jade obeyed slowly. Schuldig took out a sterile roll of cloth bandages, antiseptics, and cotton balls. He placed the items in his lap and dropped the bag in front of Jade. "It's got food in there. Eat it. You need it."

Jade stopped her retorts in shock as she felt Schuldig nimbly unbuckled the straightjacket from behind. As soon as she felt the fabric slacken, Jade whirled around to punch Schuldig and pressed one of Naitsuusha's senbon against his throat. Schuldig laid flat on the floor with Jade hovering over him.

Jade stared down at him in confusion. "Why didn't you block me?"

"How'd you manage to get a hold of a needle?" Schuldig didn't look scared at all.

"Farfarello left one in my arm," Jade replied, her confusion still plastered on her face.

"Get off me," said Schuldig as he moved to sit up.

"No, I'm not going to do that," Jade replied dangerously.

Schuldig actually sighed with impatience. "You're an idiot."

"You're the idiot!"

"Get off me," ordered Schuldig harshly. Jade pulled herself off his body, keeping the needle raised. "Turn around and take off your clothes"

"Fuck you," Jade swore venomously through narrowed eyes.

"Kätzchen," warned Schuldig. "I might have to take you up on that offer if you're being difficult about this."

"If you do that, I will kill you." Jade stabbed Schuldig in the chest, feeling him twitch involuntarily in the sudden pain.

Schuldig stared at Jade. She uttered the same threat thousand of times before. But this time it sounded completely different. Malice grew in her eyes. This time...Schuldig struck a nerve Jade buried deep within her memory. "You've been raped before," Schuldig was quiet after the realization of what her eyes meant. "When?" Schuldig asked her somberly, ignoring the rogue needle embedded in his body.

"Fuck off," Jade shut down the topic, turning away from Schuldig. From behind, Jade's bones could be seen against the thin fabric of her black camisole. From behind, her black hair fell in tangled thin strands. From behind, Jade...looked like a lost girl.

"Nadeshiko, _when_?" Schuldig asked insistently, reaching for her. Jade spun to give him a sharp backhand across his face. Schuldig received it wordlessly. After a tense minute, Schuldig retreated. "Why don't you leave?" He adjusted his red sunglasses over his yellow bandanna.

Jade looked up, sounding uncertain. "What about Brad?"

"He doesn't have a clue." Schuldig drew Jade's trademark leather coat to him and aired it out before handing it over.

Jade held it against her body. Her violet eyes scanned his unreadable face. "Why are you doing this?"

Schuldig shrugged carelessly. "Therapy."

"You're going to kill me the next time we meet, aren't you?"

Schuldig smirked at the question. "What do you think?"

"Pretty people can't die."

"Then neither of us has anything to be worried about." Schuldig responded, shrugging.

Jade shrugged into her coat and stood up swiftly. "I'm telling Karmesinrot Rache about where this place is," said Jade, turning around to face the door.

"They're in Seito forest in Raven's family home," Schuldig responded as he pulled out his box of cigarettes. "Now we all know where our secret hideouts are."

"I'm serious," Jade met his eyes, ensuring he saw no weakness in that statement. "We'll come after Schwarz."

"Kätzchen," Schuldig smiled at her. "I'm looking forward to it."

"You're impossible," Jade said in mild exasperation, shaking her head.

"But you're enjoying it," Schuldig responded. He threw his cigarettes and lighter to Jade who caught it out of instinct. "There. Add it to your collection of stolen lighters and cigarettes."

"I don't collect cigarettes."

"Only lighters." Schuldig nodded. "Mineis so much cooler than Balinese's."

"How much of my mind did you read?" Jade glowered. Her past was penetrated by Schuldig and she knew he couldn't have gotten it all from her time being held captive. She barricaded her mind and Schuldig did likewise. Schuldig's ability to piece together whatever scraps he saw during their struggle that distant day was impressive. He really is the master of mind games.

"Enough of it, kätzchen," Schuldig replied as he reached over to grip Jade's gloved hand. He pulled her down to the ground and looked into her violet eyes. "Enough to know that you want this."

Jade's eyes dropped to the cigarette between Schuldig's lips. "I quit smoking," she said coolly.

Schuldig chuckled, amused. "I wasn't talking about the cigarette."

"You'd better," Jade warned.

"Take it," Schuldig said. "Just once." Schuldig waited, the temptation increasing between them. He always wins at the games he played. Finally, she reached for the cigarette and placed it between her lips. She inhaled one long breath. Schuldig watched the orange tip glow brighter as the fire raced closer towards her face. She exhaled the smoke through her mouth after returning the cigarette to him.

 _Was it satisfying?_ Schuldig asked her but she walked away from him. He smiled at the sight, the long length of her leather coat swaying like the graceful tail of a panther. _It was satisfying for me too._

Jade walked out of her prison, a free assassin, under her own power. Whatever therapy Schuldig gained in their conversations, Jade felt cheated. Some distance later, Jade stopped in her long trek to turn around to face the direction that led back to Schuldig. "I am going to kill him."


	41. Mission 10 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 10 Retter – Savior (Rising Hope)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-03-04

* * *

A green car exited the highways of Japan, headed towards a large house well out of his way. The man inside was wearing a light yellow shirt tucked into his gray pants. The down feather jacket kept him warm in the rapidly decreasing temperatures of the night. Manticore glanced over to the woman riding in his car. The woman glared at him in return.

"I could stop for food if you wish," Manticore offered kindly.

"I don't want to delay this anymore, Chimera," snapped Jade. "Just get me home. It's the least you could do for abandoning me to Schwarz!"

"I didn't abandon you, Panther," replied Chimera, his violet eyes darkening at the thought. "You were captured. Schwarz's headquarters isn't exactly on the tourist maps."

"Better late than never?" Jade asked him sourly. "Is that how it is?"

"Karmesinrot Rache is _your_ team. You led them into a trap. You got captured because you let Schwarz know where you lived. Do not blame me for your failures when I specifically ordered your team to terminate Berserker. Who is still alive after you spent days in their custody! Panther, your mission orders have a reason behind it!"

"Fuck you, Chimera!" Jade growled, sitting up and facing him fully. "You think it's easy to assassinate Berserker? Try doing it when you're in a straightjacket!"

"Panther, the well-being of the team and the completion of the mission is _your_ responsibility. You are not supposed to get involved with Weiß's goals to rescue Abyssinian's sister. That was not part of the original mission orders from protecting Persia, Manx, and Weiß!"

"Kritiker is fighting against Eszet!"

"Eszet is not our concern right now."

"How is an experiment to bring back an evil god not our concern?" Jade shot at him. "Evil. God."

"Because Eszet's ceremony will fail!" said Manticore impatiently. "No one in their right mind would believe it would work."

"Eszet does!" Jade said, outraged.

"That's not really helping your point," replied Manticore frankly. "Panther, get the briefcase in the backseat."

Jade turned around to retrieve a black leather briefcase with golden clasps. "What's in it?"

"New orders." Manticore's voice was hard. "Karmesinrot Rache's being relocated. Your residence has been breached by Schwarz twice already. Schreient knows where you live in Seito forest. You're moving to Kyoto tomorrow morning."

"WHAT?!" Jade shouted at Manticore, furious.

"By midnight tomorrow, I expect your entire team to be at your new residence." Chimera was tense. "And without Weiß knowing."

"You're not serious." Jade shook her head at him. "We're not done here! We're-"

"Moving," Manticore stated flatly as he stopped by the edge of Seito forest. "I'm not taking you any further. Weiß is living with Karmesinrot Rache. I want the four of you to destroy your cell phones and mission laptop as soon as possible. There are replacements in the briefcase."

"Why are we doing that?"

"Karmesinrot Rache's identities have been made public," Chimera explained as he unlocked the doors in his car. "The security has been breached."

"What about Schreient? And Schwarz?" Jade asked, her hands tightening around the handle of the briefcase. "Abyssinian's little sister is still missing! Karmesinrot Rache gave their word!"

"You cannot give your word to Weiß because you don't have that power!" snapped Manticore. "You were adamantly against aiding Weiß in the first place! What happened? Did Schwarz brainwash you?" He matched the anger in Jade's voice. "Go to Kyoto," Manticore commanded harshly. "We'll decide what your next mission is when you reach there."

"Chimera!" Jade argued but the man pointed to the forest. Jade snarled, exiting the car. She slammed the door hard and watched Manticore drive off. Jade stormed towards the large house with the briefcase and weapon.

Omi and Kirei poured their attention over the location of Schreient while Kayla and Naitsuusha poured their attention over the location of Schwarz in the living room. Ken consoled the distressed Yohji in his bumbling good-hearted way while Aya shifted from peering over the shoulders of Kirei and Omi to Naitsuusha and Kayla impatiently.

With the help of Christopher Merache and Neu, both teams progressed further than ever in the past few days. Naitsuusha and Kayla printed out a large topical map of the area they suspected Schwarz resided while Kirei and Omi narrowed down the twenty laboratories Neu circled.

"I've narrowed it down a three mile radius of this area," declared Naitsuusha. "According to Kritiker's sources, the only way we'll ever get close enough to save Jade is through stealth."

"And luck," said Ken, sounding doubtful. "Schwarz isn't going to be sleeping soundly with Jade there. They'll expect an ambush."

"I'm not sure if we can contact her to let her know we're nearby. So we're going to operate as if we can't alert her to our presence," said Kayla. "Listen carefully."

"Tsukiyono and Kirei are going to knock out the electricity under the cover of the thunderstorm tomorrow night. Kayla, Hidaka, and Kudou will break in from the rear entrance while Ran and I close in from the front," said Naitsuusha. "If Schwarz attacks, I'm going to use my fire as a flare to warn everyone of danger."

"I will do the same, using my exploding arrows. Omi-kun and Kirei will be back-up for those who need it," said Kayla to the group.

"Sounds good," said Jade in amusement. "I'm flattered by your efforts."

"Jade!" Kirei squealed in shock at Jade standing behind them. Kirei lunged over her work, hugging Jade around her neck. Jade grunted in pain but allowed Kirei to finish her enthusiastic welcome. Kayla gave a gentler embrace.

"No offense but you look really bad," said Naitsuusha.

"I missed you too, Tsuu," said Jade dryly. "And yes, I know I look like shit right now. But who can blame me?"

"We were just about to go save you!" said Kirei, feeling awful about the team taking so long. "We really were! You heard our plans!"

"How'd did you get free?" Omi wanted to know.

"Did you have this incredible fight with Schwarz? Did you beat them senseless and then escape in a daring chase on foot?" Kayla asked her.

"No," Jade replied, smiling at Kayla. "That didn't happen."

"So how did you get free from Schwarz?" Aya asked Jade. He hadn't believed his eyes when he saw Jade at first. It was the reaction from the girls that convinced him Akikou Jade was no longer the hostage of Schwarz.

"Schuldig let me go," Jade answered, sounding slightly confused herself about her reply.

" _WHAT?"_ Everyone had a look of utter shock on their faces.

"Oh my God!" Kayla gasped suddenly. "You slept with him!" Kayla shrieked, panicking.

"I did _not_!" Now it was Jade's turn to shout.

"But why would Schuldig let you go?" Ken asked her. "It doesn't make sense."

"Look," Jade sighed. "I don't know what went on in Schuldig's mind but he and Farfarello held me captive without telling Brad Crawford about me. I'm pretty sure we all have theories about their actions but that discussion is going to have to wait after my shower and some food."

"Of course!" Kirei could smack herself senseless. Jade had been a hostage, starved and interrogated by Schwarz. And here they were, doing the exact same thing to her!

Jade already turned to Naitsuusha and they were holding a mental conversation. Naitsuusha and Jade left the room first, leaving the younger girls with Weiß. Kirei grabbed Kayla's hand and dragged her to the kitchen to make food for Jade. Naitsuusha and Jade went upstairs to an empty bedroom. Jade stripped off her leather coat and tossed it onto the bed. She laid her no dachi against the bed and turned to see Naitsuusha staring at her.

"Schuldig let you go free?" Naitsuusha asked her,

"Tsuu, I'm still trying to come to terms with it myself," admitted Jade. "But we have bigger problems."

"Such as?" Naitsuusha was worried.

Jade lifted the briefcase Chimera gave her and held it in the found the rest of the team link to call, _Kirei, Kayla, please come up here._ Both younger girls stopped their cooking and ran up the stairs. Weiß exchanged looks of confusion.

"Chimera gave me a ride home." Jade locked the door so no one would interrupt them. "We're being relocated to Kyoto." The others were stunned. "We have to be there in our new house at midnight tomorrow. We're not allowed to tell Weiß about this or give aid to Weiß to save Fujimiya's little sister from Schreient. We're not allowed to fight Schwarz until we get further orders from Chimera."

"Chimera can't do this!" Kirei wailed softly.

"He is doing it," said Jade. "We can't disobey him."

"No, he better get his ass over here and explain it to me," said Naitsuusha grimly. "I'm not leaving this place unless he does."

"Schuldig knows we're living here," Jade said to her. "Crawford will know as well if he learns that we're still alive."

Kayla interrupted. "Brad Crawford doesn't know we're alive?"

"Everyone in Schwarz but him knows," said Jade.

"We can totally use that when we attack them!" Kirei said excitedly as she nudged Kayla.

"No, we can't attack Schwarz without orders from Chimera and he's not going to give us those orders until we move to Kyoto," explained Jade.

"I'm not leaving my house," Naitsuusha stated stubbornly.

"Either way, we've got to destroy our cell phones and mission laptop. Security's been breached so Chimera sent us new equipment." Jade opened the clasps to reveal the replacement items. Each girl took a new cell phone from inside and turned it on to see a normal looking screen.

"What are we going to do?" asked Kayla. "We promised to help save Aya-san's little sister. And I don't want to leave Ken-san."

"Same here," replied Kirei spiritedly. "I'm with Tsuu. I'm not leaving this house until Chimera comes and explains to us face-to-face."

"We can't stay here though!" Jade exclaimed. "Schwarz knows where we are!"

"But we know where they are too!" Kirei replied. "You know!"

"Are we going to attack them?" Jade wondered. "If we are, it has to be tonight."

"Tonight?" Naitsuusha looked at Jade doubtfully. "You just got home."

"I can fight," said Jade determinedly. "We'll go to Schwarz."

"But Chimera!" Kayla said, looking at the other girls in fear.

"If we kill Schwarz, we're just pushing up the schedule," Naitsuusha decided. "He wanted us to kill Berserker. Schwarz is the same."

A loud rapping against the door over Ken's anxious voice drew the four girls' attention to the locked barrier. Kayla went to open it to hear Ken report Hell was giving them a challenge for tomorrow night in the Seian Research Center. By the time the group rejoined the other three Weiß members, the message was over. Aya and Yohji crowded over the laptop on the coffee table. Both were shouting for Hell to return.

"It's a trap," Jade was unsympathetic to Weiß's cause.

Yohji turned to her with blazing green eyes, his old feelings of animosity returning full force. "Asuka was being beaten by Shöen!" Yohji shouted at her. "She doesn't want to go back!"

"Kudou, are you reality-impaired?" Jade shouted back. "That's not Asuka! I read her mind during battle and she had no memory of being Asuka ever!"

"Read her mind?" laughed Yohji harshly. "What do you think you are? A telepath?"

 _You better fucking believe it_ , Jade sent into all of their minds. Yohji's stupidity got her riled up and she lost her normal sense of control. "She's not Murase Asuka."

Yohji swallowed his shock as did the rest of Weiß. "So that's your power," mutttered Aya. He had one of his questions answered. Jade's power was telepathy.

"Kirei, what do you call yours? I know you have one," said Omi. "When we fought before, I know something was happening."

"Hypnosis," Kirei replied with an embarrassed grin. She shrugged. "It works on almost everyone...except for Farfarello."

"Probably because he's psychotic," Jade muttered.

"We're going to save my little sister," said Aya firmly. Weiß already agreed to meet Schreient. There was no doubting that. But Karmesinrot Rache made Schwarz their priority.

"We can't help you. We're going after Schwarz tonight," replied Jade. "Schwarz knows where we live. Schreient knows where we live. But we also know where they live. We're not going to play by their rules. If you want Schreient, go tonight. Tomorrow night...we might not be alive if we're ambushed living here."

"We can't split up!" argued Ken. "We should work together!"

"I'm going to save my little sister," said Aya. "We're not changing our minds. Karmesinrot Rache gave their word they would help out. If you back out, that's fine with me. But that tells me your word, like those who gave it, is unreliable."

"I don't give a fuck what you think about us," retorted Jade.

 _Jade, what should we do?_ Kirei asked her.

 _We can't split up. Schwarz managed to beat all eight of us at once_ , reminded Kayla.

 _They had the element of surprise and Tsuu wasn't ready to see Brad_ , said Jade. _We will have the element of surprise this time._

 _Schuldig knows you would tell us where they lived_ , said Naitsuusha. _They_ will _be expecting us._

 _Then why disappoint them?_ Jade asked them. _If we aid Weiß tomorrow night, we miss our Kyoto deadline. If we aid Weiß tonight, we miss our chance to fight and finish off Schwarz once and for all._

 _Are we really going to Kyoto and not telling Weiß about it?_ Kirei asked, looking at Omi sadly. The four males figured Karmesinrot Rache were having a mental conversation and it was making them edgy.

 _We have to_ , Jade sighed heavily. Weiß looked at her curiously. That was the only sound coming from the female team so far. Something was really bothering them. _Chimera gave me the direct order!_

 _I'm not comfortable with the idea of leaving when we have so much unfinished business in Tokyo_ , said Naitsuusha. The other girls looked at her in surprise. Jade didn't expect Naitsuusha to say that! Maybe Kirei or Kayla but Naitsuusha?

 _It's your decision_ , said Kirei, looking at Jade uncertainly.

 _No, this should be a group decision_ , said Jade. _Who wants to aid Weiß?_

 _I do_ , replied Kirei and Kayla. No surprise there.

 _So do I_ , replied Naitsuusha. Another shocker. Naitsuusha went on to explain her thoughts. _Chimera wants Schwarz to be left alone. Fine. I know who the leader is and I know everyone on the team. I can track them down again. But Weiß needs Fujimiya Aya back because she's the key to some sort of ceremony for Eszet. If we stop Schreient from giving Fujimiya Aya to Eszet, we prevent Eszet from gaining the power they desire._

 _Schwarz was hunting down Chimera_ , aid Jade morosely. _They thought they found who he was and they went to kill him. They barged into the home of an Eszet leader and Brad tried to shoot her._

 _Did she die?_

 _No_ , Jade replied disappointedly. _But Schwarz was scared when they returned. Brad went back to explain himself to Eszet. Eszet's powerful if Brad's frightened of them._

 _We help Weiß tonight_ , said Kirei. _That's our decision._ They all looked at Jade.

 _We aid Weiß...tonight_ , Jade nodded. She glanced at Weiß. _Someone give them the good news._

"Karmesinrot Rache has given their word and they're going to keep it only if you attack Schreient tonight," said Naitsuusha. "We can't wait for the scheduled time."

"Fine," said Aya, secretly grateful. Jade turned to go back upstairs.

"Kayla, go make something for Jade to eat. Something nutritious and light. She needs all the energy she can get for the fight," Naitsuusha ordered. Kayla left with Ken, her new cooking buddy. "Kirei, did you buy Jade's clothes?"

"I did!" Kirei nodded. "They're still in the bags in my room."

"Bring it to Jade's room," Naitsuusha said to her. "After Jade bathes and eats something, we will all go to Seian Research Center."

"Thank you," said Omi. "We really appreciate it."

"I know," said Naitsuusha, looking at Aya.

A sudden understanding appeared in Aya's eyes. He saw the turmoil within Naitsuusha's. Their silent conversation was secretive for a reason. Karmesinrot Rache received new orders. And Aya knew what they were. "You're leaving Tokyo," said Aya. "Indefinitely."

"What?" Omi shouted in shock. Ken came out to see what was happening as Kayla futilely tried to drag him back into the kitchen.

"Tomorrow night," said Naitsuusha slowly. Aya read her mind as accurately as Jade sometimes. It was unnerving but not unpleasant. Something had grown between their like minds.

"Where?" Ken turned to Kayla. "When did you get the order?"

"We can't say," apologized Kayla, turning away from him to go back inside the kitchen. Ken followed her, his anxious voice dropping in volume as he argued with Kayla.

"We received the orders just before Jade came home," said Naitsuusha. "And like Kayla, I can't say anymore about it."

"Naitsuusha!" Aya called out but she had already turned to leave the room. She ignored them to go upstairs to find Jade. Her friend needed first aid right away after her bath. Naitsuusha knocked on the door.

"I'm going to hang a robe on the outside of the doorknob, Jade."

"Thanks, Tsuu," replied Jade gratefully in a bathtub full of hot water as she scrubbed off the grime and filth on her body. The raw sensation of clean skin was relaxing as she drained the sudsy water for a fresh tub. She sank slowly underneath its surface. She closed her eyes and felt her skin tingle in the hot water. She couldn't remember what had happened but when she opened her eyes, the water was cold and Naitsuusha was yelling at her. "What?" Jade asked, feeling sleepy as Naitsuusha drained the water and then yanked her out of the tub.

"You don't fall asleep in the bathtub!" Naitsuusha was freaking out. "You could have drowned!"

"Oh...sorry," said Jade stupidly when she felt Naitsuusha quickly dress her in the robe. She sat on the edge of the bathtub, body aching dully. Naitsuusha began to dry her hair like she was a child. "Tsuu, thanks."

"Tch," said Naitsuusha, sounding like Jade when she was impatient. "Of all the dumb things to do." Jade felt Naitsuusha's gentle hands comb out her hair with the blow dryer. Jade's eyes began to close at the warmth. "Is it too hot?" Naitsuusha asked worriedly when she saw Jade's shoulders drooped. The collar of the robe fell slightly to show pale creamy skin, finally clean from two baths.

"No," said Jade in a strange voice, her throat closing tightly. "I like it."

"Jade?" Naitsuusha turned off the blow dryer. Her leader covered her face. Naitsuusha kneeled on the floor. She pulled away Jade's hands lightly and stared at her face, shocked to see tears. "What's wrong, Jade?"

"It was so cold there." Jade laughed bitterly through her tears. "I hated it so much."

"I know...you hate cold. You hate winter," said Naitsuusha reassuringly. "But what's wrong? You shouldn't be crying!"

Jade gave a shuddering breath. "I thought...I thought I was going to die if Brad found me. I am so scared of him. I don't know why but I _am_."

"What kind of mind-games did Schuldig play on you?" Naitsuusha asked her. "Tell me. Did he make you see things? Say things? Do things? Oh my God, did you sleep with him?!"

"Tsuu!" Jade shook her head, laughing at the ludicrous suggestion. "Stop it."

"Tell me what happened!" Naitsuusha demanded. "Schuldig wouldn't let you go without doing something to you."

"I know," Jade said derisively. "But I don't know what he did to me. Tsuu, Schuldig...knew everything about me! Everything! All the things I wanted to hide, tried so hard to hide. He said them to me in a way that he was...was me."

"I don't think we're ready to fight Schwarz," said Naitsuusha grimly. "Not with you like this."

"I'm sorry," said Jade, ashamed.

"I'm not blaming you," said Naitsuusha, soothing her friend. "But you won't last in a fight against Schwarz. Not against Brad or Schuldig."

"I thought I understood Brad a bit. He wanted revenge for being forgotten. Tsuu, he...and Gabriel...both of them were your brothers but you forgot Brad. So he's angry he slipped your mind. I could understand that. But Schuldig...I don't know what he wants," said Jade. "He's so fucking hard to figure out!"

"It's for the best that we're leaving for Kyoto," decided Naitsuusha with a sigh. "Chimera knows us best. He already knew we wouldn't last against Schwarz. After we help Weiß rescue Aya, we'll go to Kyoto right away."

"Chimera doesn't want us aiding Weiß either." Jade frowned, shivering in the cooling bathroom.

"What Chimera doesn't know won't hurt him," replied Naitsuusha. "It's worth a pay cut."

"Yeah it is." Jade smiled at her. "Considering how many times we used his accounts for personal expenses, I'd say we owe him a pay cut."

Naitsuusha chuckled as she held out her hand. Jade took it, pulling herself up in gratitude. Jade wrapped the robe around her frail body tightly and followed Naitsuusha into her new bedroom where the emergency first aid kit and a fresh change of clothes were waiting.

Kirei came in shyly followed by Kayla. The two girls set the food on the table beside the bed and waited for Naitsuusha to finish her task of dressing Jade's wounds. Jade ate, thanking Kayla kindly for the meal and complimented her on the improvement of her skills. Kayla laughed pleasantly, saying Ken helped her out since he's a great cook himself. Jade didn't make any nasty comments about their Weiß counterparts as she let herself enjoy their happiness. She knew in a few hours, their happiness might not last long. They had a mission to complete.


	42. Mission 11 Melodie - Melody

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 11 Melodie – Melody (Song of Sorrow)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-11-04

* * *

It was a perfect environment for Chimera's brief appearance in this physical world. The orders were given a few hours ago to the leader of the team. Her omniscient eyes saw Karmesinrot Rache aiding Weiß with the rescue of Fujimiya Aya. It was the deciding moment in the course of Karmesinrot Rache's servitude. Chimera pressed against the pulsating surface of the metal table in a pattern to summon the viewing screens.

One showed Merache's assistant at a debriefing. She did her job adequately enough. She brought to Chimera's attention Merache was being foolishly curious. Arrogance and independence must be rectified in Chimera's agents. The fifth face was not privileged to view the proceedings in her mind. Serpent was recalled from their base. Merache would have no protection from her cold wrath. Her eyes focused on Merache on the second screen. He sat in his study, working like a frantic insect under the supervision of its queen. The public face of Chimera was not needed anymore. His use was over.

Her eyes roamed to the third screen. Two figures crouched on their haunches, waiting in the shadowy confines of their base. They waited long for the taste of bloody betrayal. Soon they will sink fang and talon into it. "Release Jäger." Jäger moved from their den immediately. The hunt was on for Christopher Merache. Betrayers needed no sanctuary. Chimera felt no regret at sending out the order.

Chimera summoned a fourth viewing screen to show Seian Research Center in all its gray glory amid the greenery. Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß moved towards the barricaded fortress. The dark forest around the large mansion made the two teams extra cautious.

"They're walking into a trap laid by Schreient tonight," Chimera mused at the two leaders of the assassin teams were conferring about their path towards the research center. "They chose death over life." They were foolish beasts who bit the hand that fed it since birth. Karmesinrot Rache chose a dangerous path toward the toothed maw of Chimera.

* * *

Merache's focus for the night was solely on the computer screen in front of him. He didn't dare waste any time now. His black hair was a tangled mess but he didn't care it stained his expensive Italian suit with dirty rainwater. He had a crazed gleam in his green eyes since his return from Meimon Restaurant. He drove home urgently, carrying in his frenzied mind the delicate information he sought after all this time.

His mansion was completely dark. He ran a system check before he brought out Project Revolution. The computers told him his study was still safe from prying eyes. In his mansion, someone was always watching him but Merache thought he outsmarted Chimera, if not just for a little while, until he was done with his work. His confidence in his own technological abilities would be his downfall but right now, he wasn't aware of the risk.

Right now, he was the victor in the deadly game. One by one, the shields preventing the unworthy from the mind of Chimera were taken down as Merache used everything he gathered about Karmesinrot Rache to gain access to the confidential files of Project Revolution.

The memory of his discovery came to Merache's mind as easily as the image of her brilliant hunter green eyes. The girl known as Viper by her teammates introduced herself with a modest smile. _"Everyone calls me pretty, even Chimera. My name is Kakumei Kirei."_ The delicate memory gave him the key phrase. _Pretty revolution_ , thought Merache, pleased at the name.

It was more than fitting for Viper. She possessed the body of a young model, an innocent-looking girl with a perfect figure and flawless complexion. She wore no make-up, looking as natural as the day she was born into this vast world. With time, she would mature into a tantalizing seductress. Whatever her real name was in the past, Chimera replaced it with her current name as a gift of rebirth. Chimera gave a Japanese name to the girl whom Merache was able to determine was of Russian ancestry after Viper's recruitment. His heavenly benefactor was still looking down on him to receive such vital information from the direct source. Karmesinrot Rache is Chimera's crown jewel, an extension of Chimera's physical body, but Project Revolution was its private guard over such a rare gem.

Merache reached the final security firewall. The screen for the last password appeared and Merache typed it in, relishing his success with a wide smile. "Kakumei." The taste of the word flowing past his lips on his breath was as victoriously sweet as aged wine.

The screen went completely black. Merache jumped up in fury, thinking it shut itself down due to a fail-safe. Then, Merache gathered his wits about him when green lines began to swirl across the screen, undulating like the body of a serpent. The lines began to form the words "Project Revolution" and Merache breathed easy. His hand went to the computer mouse and he clicked on the text. The screen vanished to be replaced by two columns of files, photographs, video recordings, and various data.

"Ekatarina Polarinova," Merache read the first labeled file. _That is her real name_ , thought Merache, feeling his excitement blossoming at the words. When accessed, a number of photographs appeared showing the girl known as Kakumei Kirei with a date and note. _Chimera had been observing her since she was ten years old_ , Merache calculated the dates. _But why?_

The next file contained notes of Ekatarina's nuclear family: her mother Vanya, her father Vladimir, an older brother Kirriel, and a younger sister Karina. None of her family members showed a trace of the same powers Viper possessed. Chimera made certain of that by conducting studies on their lifestyle.

The third file was labeled "Official Kat Polari Website" and contained a copy of a defunct website of Kat Polari. Chimera's people conducted tests on the audience's reaction of her live singing. Kat Polari didn't last long as the teenage pop princess. She became a one album wonder when her home was torched down with everyone inside. The official report denied survivors but somehow Kakumei Kirei had been born from the ashes...

Based on the CAT and MRI scans performed by Doctor Talon, Chimera's suspicions of Ekatarina's powers were confirmed. Her brain waves showed unprecedented activity as it produces the hypnotic feelings geared towards the hundreds who came to see her sing live. _No wonder she was so successful in her concerts. Every show was sold out_ , Merache thought somberly. _But that doesn't tell me anything about Project Revolution itself and its importance_ , Merache thought. He progressed towards the core of Chimera's secretive project.

"Download completed," the voice said after a confirmation beep.

Project Revolution was indeed a system of hardware used for infiltration and spying. A wire-frame model of a female's empty body formed on the screen. Her organs were illustrated in shades of blue. All her muscles and major nerves were represented in red and yellow. Lastly, her right arm and left eye were filled in a fluorescent glowing green as it merged into the red nerves of her spinal cord. Two lines connected the glowing green areas together, linking a small text block: Project Revolution. Merache couldn't comprehend the significance of the lines. The green lights inside the right arm and left eye pulsed, sending impulses of energy towards the brain.

"The specimen, KR/EP-04, born as Ekatarina Polarinova, was recovered by agent Typhon. His surgical team, Omega Red, added poly-metal bionic neuroprosthetic devices to replace the lost areas. Project Revolution added a bionic mesh network into her spinal cord to control the right arm and left eye. Project Revolution uses the abnormal levels of electricity generated by her bodily activity to fuel Cyclops. Cyclops is linked to the Atlasnet, the satellite system that spans the world."

Merache clicked on the arm. The right arm lifted upwards to follow the mouse's path as yellow electricity began to swirl violently within the limb, traveling in a narrow path from the brain to the tip of the fingers of the hand. The red colored brain began to change into an orange as the electricity from its neuron synapses increased far beyond the normal capacity.

"Project Revolution and Cyclops transmits data in real-time, allowing Chimera access to the patient's activities. Full control of the specimen's body can be achieved if the specimen exhibits undesirable behaviors. The specimen was integrated into active duty, renamed Kakumei Kirei. Project Revolution was deemed a success."

Merache froze, his mind working hard to connect all the information. _Project Revolution...spies on Karmesinrot Rache? So this is how Chimera keeps an eye on his girls._ Merache's stomach felt ice cold at the thought of the one-sided trust in Chimera. _I see how Chimera can always know what is happening in their lives if he used Cyclops to monitor them without their knowledge. He could be anywhere and see exactly what Karmesinrot Rache is doing!_ He closed the computer, feeling the hairs on his skin rise as the surrounding darkness ate at him. _Chimera is always watching_ , Merache thought darkly. Merache tried to click on the last icon, labeled Cyclops. Every time he had, the same message appeared: **Atlasnet Access Denied!**

 _Cyclops...the left eye of Viper...it records everything she sees and allows Chimera to be omnipotent._ Merache swallowed hard, his chest hurting suddenly. _My paranoia is getting out of hand_ , he packed away his laptop. Things were getting too dangerous with the involvement of Karmesinrot Rache in Weiß's activities. _Independence is deadly in this game_ , Merache mused.

The lights turned on automatically upon his entrance to his bedroom. It was not a welcoming feeling. His mansion was never his home. It was a lavish prison cell. Merache pulled out a pre-packed suitcase. It was one he bought for an emergent need like this one. Everything supplied by Chimera was tagged. Merache found that out accidentally when the fabric tore inside one of his suitcases during his time in the United States.

Merache hadn't intentionally joined Chimera's organization but upon his discovery of his entrance, he accepted his position with a glad heart. His public and private biography was a mix of truth and lies. Chimera transformed Christopher Merache into the man he was now with everything he desired in exchange for his service. Merache could not honor such an exchange now after discovering the truth behind Project Revolution.

 _Everyone in Chimera's organization is working hard to protect Karmesinrot Rache...everyone but Chimera_ , thought Merache darkly. The light in the room began to flicker and Merache eyed the windows. _The storm in Tokyo shouldn't be causing electrical problems out here_. Merache lifted the light suitcase off the bed. _This mansion should have a back-up generator for blackouts._

Merache checked the landlines. There was still a dial tone. Merache frowned and left the room, his steps quickening when the lights in his room automatically shut off after his departure. His hand went inside his jacket pocket for the handgun he carried. He only had six shots in the magazine. He gravely thought he better make those six shots count. Merache froze when all the lights in his house turned on. A loud crackling noise filled the air when the chandeliers above him began to glow erratically. Merache pulled out the gun with a grim face but walked on, determined to get to his car.

 _Chimera is always watching._ The thought resounded through his skull as he ran down the stairs towards the front door. _Every single second._ Merache's stride increased in length as he traveled towards the garage. _The lights in the garage are behaving strangely_ , thought Merache. Like his bedroom, it turned on automatically when he opened the side door but it flickered in an erratic pattern.

He unlocked his favorite car using the keyless remote. He would have to ditch it for a rental car when he got to Tokyo. Then he could find a way to use the information he discovered. As he closed the distance, the lights went off. Merache's hand tightened around the gun instinctively as he opened the car door with the hand that carried the suitcase. He crouched down to get inside the car.

"That was a close one," Merache muttered in the driver seat.

"You don't know how close," laughed the man inside his car. Merache whirled around to see a blue haired man. Merache fell out of the driver's seat in his haste to get away, firing into the car towards the man. The mysterious man vanished out through the side door, taking along Merache's suitcase with the laptop inside.

Merache turned around slowly in the dark garage, knowing he wasted two shots in his fright. The second gun was gone. It had been also stored in the suitcase.

"Do you need some light? It won't help you find me though," said the man's husky voice.

 _Arrogant bastard_ , Merache thought when the lights turned on fully. Even the headlights of the other cars came to life without the keys in the ignition. Merache shoved the strange phenomenon out of his mind as he edged closer towards his waiting car. The keys were still clutched tightly in his left hand.

"Who are you?" Merache wanted to know. From his brief glimpse of the man, his eyes were black and his hair was blue, long in the front but shaved close in the back. A tattoo crawled like a short black vine over his right cheek.

"Not a friend," replied the man truthfully. The voice seemed to come from behind. Merache turned around quickly to see that nothing was there. "I told you the lights wouldn't help you find me."

"Get out here and let me see you," demanded Merache, his gun steady. _Do not panic_ , he thought himself over again. _I've got four shots and I can't waste them._ "Are you working for Serpent?"

"Serpent?" the blue-haired man chuckled, walking out from his hiding place with his hands in his pockets. The fact Merache's gun now pointed directly at his head didn't seem to faze him at all. "Serpent abandoned their base already! You would know that if you checked your security cameras."

"So who are you then?" Merache asked with deliberate politeness.

He shrugged, his long black cape falling over his right shoulder of his tight black leather outfit. As he moved towards Merache, the countless buckles over his clothes and his exotic jewelry made the only noise. Other than that, the male hunter was silent in his footsteps.

"You can't stop me," retorted Merache.

"If you were smart, you would have shot me by now." His eyes gleamed with a taunt.

"You're right." Merache nodded ever so slightly. "I'm smart." Merache fired directly at the man. The man fell after being struck. Merache quickly ran to his car and got in. He looked at the floor and froze at the sight of the missing blood and dead body of his unwelcomed guest.

He reversed his car quickly, out of fear and instinct as a green Ferrari flew through the air and crashed on top of his hood before sliding off on its side. The Ferrari was cracking with electricity. Merache screamed, tossed back against his seat. His hands burned from touching the steering wheel when the electricity traveled between the metal of the two cars. The garage lights exploded in a shower of sparks. The garage door began to contort into a misshapen mass from the heat.

The man landed on top of the crumpled hood of Merache's car. He leaned his face close to the shattered windshield. "Do you really think a gun can stop me?" Merache bit his tongue to prevent himself from crying out as he peeled his hands away from the steering wheel. "Painful, isn't it?" the man asked him casually as he eyed Merache's bleeding hands. "Don't worry. It's not over yet."

"Who are you?" Merache gave him his best glare.

"Wolf," said the man with a wide fanged grin. He pressed his hand against the fractured glass. Light seemed to escape from his body and enter the car through the cracks in the glass. "You're dinner."

Merache fired at the windshield. The shattered glass rained down upon Merache as he forced his hunter off his car. Merache reversed rapidly, stomping down on the accelerator. The velocity of the car smashing against the garage door tore it off its rails. The car slid on the icy mud over the paved driveway.

Merache gripped the steering wheel painfully as he fought the reality of his totaled car to turn it until he was facing the correct way. Merache sped into the darkened forest, heading towards Tokyo. In the abandoned mansion, the blue-haired man, Wolf, narrowed his hungry black eyes at the vanishing car and tightened his hold over the bullets he allowed Merache to fire at him. "Fuck."

He brought the bullet to his eye and admired its golden shell against his black fingernails. Wolf tipped his hand and the bullet fell to the ground, making the tiniest _tink_ sound as Wolf called his partner using his other hand. "The prey is headed to Tokyo. I'll meet you there." Wolf hung up, sliding the blue cell phone into one of the many pockets in his tight leather outfit.

He looked up, sensing the approaching thunderstorm. He grinned at clouds and gave a feral shout of joy that ended in a howl as lightning danced across the skies, leaping from cloud to cloud. Wolf threw one hand in the air, stretching his fingers as high as he could. The storm answered and lightning struck him full force, turning the area into a dazzling light show. The show lasted a mere second, scarring the area black. Wolf had vanished.

* * *

Three shadowed figures crouched under the leafy branches of a tree. Others moved towards them in pairs. Yohji motioned for the others to join them quickly because time was crucial in this mission.

"I don't think we can get close to the building without them knowing we're here," said Aya.

"I'm sure Schreient already knows we're here," replied Jade. "If they give a challenge, they should be prepared for the fact we might come earlier than their scheduled time."

"This whole place is monitored," groaned Ken as he glanced over his shoulder. "I counted twenty cameras when I came back from the border with Bombay."

"We're making too much noise if we travel together," Naitsuusha added when she appeared from scouting the area. "We should split up. Karmesinrot Rache will be the distraction. Weiß will move in while Schreient has their eyes on us."

Jade, Aya, and Yohji exchanged glances after hearing Naitsuusha's words. Jade get a nod of confirmation from the two oldest of Weiß. "We're going to move away from your team now," said Jade to Aya. "We'll meet you inside as soon as we can."

"The plan comes down to making all the noise we can," stated Karmesinrot Rache's tactician, Naitsuusha. "Stealth is not going to be an option if we're going to be a distraction."

"I hate that we couldn't get any information about their defenses," Jade grumbled as she pulled her leather coat closer to her body. She returned to wearing her assassination gear like a second skin. "But you're right, Raven. We're going to have to make a scene. Karmesinrot Rache, let's go!"

"Be careful," said Kirei to Omi as she walked past him. "You still owe me a first date." Omi smiled, gripping Kirei's hand momentarily in her passing.

"You two are so cute!" Kayla smiled at them.

"Don't you have some mushy words to exchange with Siberian?" Kirei teased. Jade gestured for them to silence. She wanted to use her telepathy instead of speech.

"Oh right." Kayla turned around and whispered loudly to Ken who was just about to go off with his own team. "Don't die. I'll be angry if you do."

Ken laughed lightly, nodding at her words. "Same goes to you."

Kayla beamed. With that done, Kayla returned to Kirei's side. The four girls conversed in their minds. Kirei stopped in her tracks, pointing to the path ahead with a grim expression.

 _Those are trip wires linked to explosives. They're everywhere_ , she said to the other girls. _Schreient's first defense against us._

 _I count eight surveillance cameras_ , Naitsuusha looked around carefully. _Most of them are above us._

 _It's safe to say this is our chance to cause a scene_ , Jade stepped forward to inspect the trip wires. _There's no way to get through the gaps unless you're Raven. Falcon, do you think you can pull this one off?_ _If you use your arrows, you could trip all the mines at once. Schreient will definitely see the explosion from Seian._

 _I can do it_ , said Kayla confidently. _Anything to help Weiß out._

The four girls retreated a great distance, unsure of the radius of the resulting explosion. Kayla pulled a single arrow from her quiver pack. A quick moment to aim and a second moment to release the bowstring sent the arrow flying into the depths of the forest, cutting a number of trip wires. The explosion tore bark and dirt, its fire reaching the tips of the tall trees.

 _Schreient will definitely see that_ , Jade nodded with approval. _Let's see what other damage we can do._

Naitsuusha smiled, slicing through the wires of a surveillance camera watching the team from overhead. The camera died silently when its power source was disconnected. Karmesinrot Rache let the fire rage on, adding its smoke to the dark clouds in the skies as they walked towards Seian together.


	43. Mission 11 (Eyecatch A)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 11 Melodie – Melody (Song of Sorrow)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-11-04

* * *

Tot ran back towards the headquarters after hearing the explosions in the forest. It interrupted her talk with Nagi who was chasing her down. Schwarz was here and asking awkward questions. Tot only glared at them and then ran away, unaware most of Schwarz already knew what was happening between Schreient and the two enemy teams. Nagi followed Tot, promising Crawford to get the information he wanted from Tot.

"Tot!" Nagi shouted. For a girl on high heels, Tot could sure run fast. "Tot!"

"No, Nagi-kun," Tot shouted to him over her shoulder. "Tot has to go home! Tot has to protect her family!"

Nagi finally caught up to her, putting in a burst of telekinesis to aid his speed. "Tot!" Nagi grabbed Tot's shoulder, forcing her to turn around to face him. "Schwarz is here for Fujimiya Aya! Schreient will be killed tonight! You can't go to them!"

"Nagi-kun," Tot gave him a smile, one of sadness and longing. "Tot has to protect her family and bring Papa home."

"Tot." Nagi hugged her tightly, burying himself in her blue hair. "Don't you want to live?"

"Yes!" Tot beamed at him, hugging him back. "Tot wants to live with her family and Nagi-kun."

"Then...don't fight tonight, Tot," begged Nagi, pulling himself away from her to look into her eyes. "Schreient will _die_ tonight."

"Nagi-kun will protect Tot," said Tot bashfully, looking up at him through her long lashes. "Like I'll protect Nagi-kun from the loneliness he feels inside his heart." Tot placed her hand on Nagi's chest over his heart. "It hurts to be alone. Tot used to be alone too. But Tot has her family and Nagi-kun now. Nagi-kun will always have Tot as his friend to make his nightmares go away." She gave Nagi a kiss on the lips, startling him. "I have to go now." Tot ran the rest of the way back to Seian, knowing a great battle lies in wait for her. She knew what death meant. But she also knew what love meant. From the bottom of her heart, Tot of Schreient knew protecting the people she cherished was more important than the fear of death.

"Tot..." Nagi looked at her, feeling the pain tear through his body at their parting.

 _It ends tonight. For everyone_ , thought Schuldig morbidly as the rest of Schwarz walked towards Seian.

The leader of Schreient was prepared to sacrifice Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache for the return of Takatori Masufumi. Shöen was in the room with her, making the final preparations for their trap against their enemies. Neu was in a cage in the corner of the room on the first floor, unconscious. It was the only way for Neu to submit under the circumstances of her return.

"Hell?" Schöen turned to her leader, holding a cell phone. "Tot just called me! Schwarz is here for the Kundalini sacrifice!"

Hell paled, turning to see the camera screens. Schwarz was talking to their youngest member and Crawford looked angry for once. _Something must be wrong for him to become that emotional_ , thought Hell. She fired up the mansion's security systems, activating the automated guns and defenses before turning back to Shöen. "They're not coming in. I don't see Masufumi with them."

"I can't hold them back and fight Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß!" Schöen panicked. "Even with Tot helping me, that's two against twelve!"

"Don't worry about it. Just do your part in taking care of Weiß," Hell ordered, eyes on Karmesinrot Rache in another series of surveillance cameras. "Karmesinrot Rache is still outside, trying to be a distraction. Their plan is so obvious." Hell told Shöen to go protect Neu from the deranged Balinese when she saw Weiß almost at their front doors.

* * *

Weiß appeared in the home of Schreient, looking around warily for any sign of Neu and Aya's sister. The room was bare of furniture and a large cylinder tank was empty. The consoles and dials of the nearby machines were dim from lack of activity.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Ken shared. He clutched his bugnucks tightly, the sharp claws ready and waiting. Weiß knew they were walking straight into a trap but Schreient had yet to appear.

"I do too," Omi agreed as he double-checked his crossbow and arrows. A large cage in the corner of the room caught his attention. "Is Neu in there?"

"Asuka?" Yohji ran towards the cage but the controls to open the cage were not in the room. Neu had been changed into her trademark outfit made of tight dark blue cloth. "Asuka?"

"Pull yourself together, Balinese!" snapped Aya when Shöen and Tot appearred above them, laughing at their enemies. "Schreient's here!"

"Tot, which two do you want?" Shöen asked. Tot made a show of having a thoughtful expression on her face and then pointed to Aya and Omi. "Bombay didn't die for Tot like I asked him to last time! Tot will make sure he dies tonight!"

"You're such a good girl, Tot!" Shöen laughed evilly. The two members of Schreient leapt down to join their enemies.

"Where's my sister?" Aya demanded from Shöen. Shöen ignored him. She cracked the whip in the air before it wrapped around Ken's legs. Ken kicked free the red whip before Shöen could tie him up. Ken slashed at the whip when it came for his eyes. Aya's katana made Shöen change the course of the whip to fend him off.

"You're fighting me tonight!" Tot reminded, penetrating Aya's defenses. Aya changed his target to protect himself from the umbrella. "If you don't watch out, your sister will die!"

"Where's my sister?" Aya slashed through the fabric of Tot's umbrella. Omi fired off two arrows at Tot who ran from them, holding up her torn umbrella. She managed to block them even with the ragged holes.

"Yohji..." Neu murmured, rousing in the cage. She pulled herself into a sitting position. She blinked behind the sunglasses, wondering where she was. She saw Yohji fighting against Shöen to get to her. _"YOHJI!"_

"Asuka!" Yohji's silver wire outmaneuvered Shöen's whip. It lassoed around her neck. Shöen pulled back, choking on the sharp pressure. She screamed in fury as Yohji marred her body with the steel string. Yohji increased the pressure until he could feel Shöen begin to pass out. "Now you know how it feels..." Yohji said bitterly, intent on killing Shöen.

Tot dashed forward to slash through Yohji's wire, freeing Shöen from his deadly grip. Shöen staggered from the slack, smearing blood as she grasped at her neck. Tot stood in front of Shöen and Neu, eyes blazing dangerously at Weiß.

"Don't hurt Tot's family," she warned them, holding her umbrella out towards them like a sword. The innocently playful look in her eyes left as the girl turned completely serious. A drastic change filled the air as Weiß saw before them a determined girl, no different than anyone else who wanted to protect their family from a group of killers who invaded their home.

 _Neither demon or death, I'm just a killer._ Aya saw himself in Tot's eyes, placed in the same position. Who was wrong? Who was right? "Where's my sister?"

"Yohji!" Neu called out, reaching through the bars of the cage for him.

"Asuka!" Yohji raced past Tot but Tot whirled around, delivering a high kick to Yohji's chest. Yohji flew back from the well-placed blow and landed heavily on his back. He shot Tot a murderous look when he managed to get back on his feet.

"You won't hurt my family," said Tot, unwavering. "Tot will protect them!"

Shöen got on her feet. She shook with anger. The sensation of her blood smeared over the white skin of her neck transformed her into a wrathful figure. The look she presented to the males was of pure, unrestrained hatred. "Balinese, if you want Neu, you will fight against me."

"Yohji, don't do it!" Neu shouted out frantically. "Don't risk you-!"

Yohji's battle cry interrupted Neu's pleading. The red whip and silver wire fought against each other. Shöen's whip circled overhead, snapping loudly when it changed directions. Yohji's wire was silent and sinuous. Only Yohji could hear the whirl of the reel inside the watch as the wire altered its length in his expert control.

Hell appeared above the first floor, seeing Shöen and Yohji's death match. She leapt down to help her team, tossing shurikens through the air. Tot marked Aya as her target and no matter what Aya did, he couldn't get by her. The youngest girl of Schreient made it clear to Weiß. She would protect her family to the death.

Aya fought his adversary with the knowledge that being a winner in the game of murder would not restore the lives sacrificed. If Tot won, Masufumi would still be the mutated beast. If Aya won, his little sister would still be in her coma like the past two years.

"Whoa," Kayla muttered in shock. Karmesinrot Rache appeared behind Weiß to see Shöen choking Yohji to death with her whip with her heel against his back, forcing him towards the floor.

"Hell, do it!" Shöen shouted victoriously now Karmesinrot Rache was here. To Yohji, she shouted gleefully, "Join Neu in Hell!"

Yohji jerked his head to stare at the cage. Neu turned to look at Hell fearfully. Hell tapped a tiny control on her belt. The explosion blasted the bars of the cage apart and buried Neu underneath the metal shards.

"Asuka!" Yohji shouted in terror.

Shöen released Yohji from her whip, allowing him to frantically dig Neu out from the rubble. She turned to face Karmesinrot Rache. Hell pressed another button on her remote. A second explosion tore the floor apart, creating a large gap in the middle of the floor and dropping rubble amongst the group.

Jade turned to Aya. "Your sister's upstairs." Aya didn't bother to give her a grateful look as he jumped across the narrowest part of the gap. Naitsuusha followed suit. Fire formed in her hands, scaring Shöen from pursuing them immediately. A stern word from Hell sent Shöen running after Aya and Naitsuusha. All three raced towards the staircase, leaving the main battle.

"Falcon, you're with Siberian against Tot. Viper, you're with Bombay against Neu." Jade gave her allies a quick look, telling Weiß she was now in charge of the two teams until Aya returned with Naitsuusha.

Jade faced Hell alone. "That was a dirty trick," Jade stated, meaning Neu as Yohji pulled her from the rubble. Neu's left hand gripped a steel bar. She swung it, connecting solidly against Yohji's head, knocking his sunglasses off his face. Yohji tumble backwards, dazed and seeing stars. "She's not Murase Asuka."

"I know that," said Hell. "But how do you know that?"

"Murase Asuka wouldn't have called home for orders to lead us in a trap," said Jade coldly. "All phone calls are logged by Raven."

"If you knew it was a trap, why did you come?" Hell asked her, giving the other female leader a condescending sneer.

"Allies help each other out," Jade replied evenly, pulling her no dachi from its sheath. She faced off with the former member of Japan's Self Defense Forces.

"And they die for each other," mocked Hell, shifting into an offensive stance.

She pushed off the floor, jumping high into the air and raining shurikens down on Jade. Jade sliced the ones in her sword's range before dodging Hell who fell almost on top of her. Hell launched another volley from a distance. Jade avoided them again, her footwork bringing her close to slash at Hell.

Omi and Kirei pulled Yohji to his feet. Neu threw the steel bar like a dagger at the trio. Omi forced Yohji back onto the ground before he could be skewered. The sharp end of the jagged bar pierced the tank beside them. Kirei's fans fell open with a snap. The two girls collided with each other with Neu punching and kicking while Kirei cut deep gashes in Neu's limbs. Neu retreated, ignoring the freely flowing blood.

"Asuka..." Yohji pushed Omi away from him. "Asuka, why?"

"Asuka, Asuka, Asuka." Neu laughed coldly, hands on her hips. "I'm so sick of that name."

"Bu-but...all the things." Yohji had a look of utter confusion on his face. "You said you remembered...and me sleeping in la-!"

"You're an idiot for believing me!" snapped Neu, sounding impatient. "It makes me sick to share a bed with you! I feel obscene just talking to you!"

"Why?" Yohji walked towards her, his eyes wide. "We-we were together again..."

"No matter what I say, all you hear and see is Murase Asuka," said Neu, shaking her head in disgust. "Let me break it down for you." Neu's entire personality turned into sadistic acid as she pulled off her own sunglasses. She met Yohji's eyes squarely with the eyes that resembled Murase Asuka so much. "Murase Asuka was a cheap whore who was cheating on you with the men of Riot. Riot killed her because they discovered she was fucking such an ugly and poor dumbass."

Asuka...her green eyes...her smile, her laughter, her voice... Yohji died inside. Nothing could be worse than the feeling he had now. Each heartbeat was wrenching him apart. Everyone disappeared in Yohji's world except for Asuka and him.

" _Yohji, when are you going to propose to me?" Asuka asked in his bed beside him. Yohji pulled her closer to his sweaty body and kissed her lightly. They rested in the warm room with the summer air drifting in scented waves around them. Yohji felt completely at ease._

" _Soon," he promised her with a smile._

 _Asuka pouted slightly and rolled her eyes. "You always say soon." She sat up, letting the blanket fall free from her naked body. "I should leave you for someone else who's not afraid of marriage."_

" _Don't say that," Yohji pulled her back into the bed and hugged her tightly. "There's no one I'd rather marry than you...so don't leave me."_

 _Asuka laughed, kissing the tip of his nose lightly before pulling away to meet his green eyes with her own. "I won't leave you. I love you, Yohji."_

Somehow his wire wrapped itself around her neck without him knowing it. Somehow she was on his back, fighting against the deadly noose. Somehow Yohji found tears in his eyes as the last memories of his beloved Asuka died away and he returned to reality.

"Masufumi…" Neu's last breath whispered in his ears, fueling his loss.

A tormented cry escaped his lips. The tears couldn't stop falling. Yohji screamed harder when Neu become dead weight on his back. The wire wouldn't stop tightening around her neck. It still wouldn't let go. "Asuka..."

Jade took her eyes off Hell for just one second, feeling the pain in Yohji's mind fill her body like she was an empty vessel underneath a raging waterfall. The raw feeling of grief knocked her backwards. A shuriken caught her right arm during her lapsed attention. Jade focused back on Hell and saw the most horrifying sight ever above Hell's head. "Schwarz!"

Brad Crawford stared down at the three assassination teams, eyes like ice and stone. Schuldig held the comatose body of Fujimiya Aya in his arms. _How can they be alive?_ Crawford wondered. All his plans were a failure. Somehow, he still noticed none of his teammates were surprised to see Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache here.

In fact, Farfarello looked absolutely delighted. Farfarello's long knives twitched in his hands. Schuldig made him a promise. He was going to get his share of the blood.

"Brad!" Naitsuusha found herself facing her older half-brother. Crawford looked down at her at the bottom of the steps. Crawford's newest pair of glasses reflected Naitsuusha's stunned face.

Shöen turned around at the sound of Crawford's name. She gasped when she saw their trump card in Schuldig's arms. "You can't take her!" shouted Shöen angrily. "Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache wouldn't dare fight against us if she's in our hands."

"You are mistaken, Shöen," said Crawford coolly. "I clearly see Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß are fighting against you right now. They won't stop until they get back this girl."

"Give her back! Or give us Masufumi!" Shöen ran up the stairs towards Schuldig. Farfarello threw down a white cloth bag. It rolled down the stairs to stop at Shöen's feet.

"Eszet returns Masufumi to Schreient. Our deal is done," Crawford stated coldly. "Now we will take the girl. There should be no further problems for you in your lifetime."

Shöen opened the bag with an expression of dread on her face. She screamed in horror at the head of Takatori Masufumi. Shöen looked up at Schwarz with a terrified but angry look in her eyes for being betrayed. Crawford raised his gun and fired, killing her instantly. Shöen fell backwards, taking the decapitated head of Masufumi with her until both landed in a bloody heap by Naitsuusha and Aya's feet.

"Naitsuusha," Crawford acknowledged her with his gun. "I must say it's a surprise to see you alive."

"Brad." Naitsuusha couldn't do anything against him. Gabriel...was looking down at her with such cold eyes. "Brad? Why?"

"You should know, Naitsuusha," Crawford said flatly.

Aya's gaze shifted between Schwarz and Naitsuusha. He had to get his sister back but he couldn't risk leaving Naitsuusha when she was in such a compromised state.

"I don't!" said Naitsuusha honestly, throwing her hands in the air. "Tell me why you are doing this!"

"Gabriel never told you, did he?" Crawford laughed bitterly. He prepared to open fire on his younger sister for the second time. "Die in ignorance."

Schuldig turned to leave with the sacrifice, giving Jade one last glance. Ken forced Hell's attention on him until Jade found an opening, ramming her sword through Hell's body. Jade pulled the sword free before she turned to Schwarz on the second level. Her eyes fell on Crawford and Naitsuusha. No one knew what was going to happen. What had happened between the two siblings who shared Crawford blood and name?

 _Ignorance is bliss. Whatever feelings people have, they'll only turn into pain._

Schuldig couldn't tell who the thoughts originated from. Had it been his? Or Jade's? Crawford's? It didn't matter. It was the truth. Be ignorant of love and hate. Stop caring for anyone except for yourself. That was how Schuldig managed to get this far. The coy smile that he gave to girls and the all-knowing smirk he gave to men allowed Schuldig access to his victims' mind. If you didn't care, you wouldn't get hurt. Look at Balinese and Neu. And at the Fujimiya siblings. Abyssinian should just give up. His sister would be dead sooner or later anyway.

Schuldig finished his musing and turned towards Crawford. "I'm going. This isn't my fight."

"AYA!" Aya shouted when Schuldig vanished with his little sister. "AYA!"

Tot stared at her broken family, shaking with fear and grief. "Neu… Shöen… Hell…" Tot cried, looking from one dead body to the next. "Don't leave Tot alone…don't leave Tot alone."

"Kill her," Crawford ordered Nagi who stayed in the background during the proceedings. "Do it now."

"Crawford!" Nagi's mouth was dry. Sweat trickled down his face at Crawford's orders. "I can't do that!"

"Where does your loyalty lie?" Crawford asked him. "Do you love her?"

"I-I..." Nagi stuttered over Tot's grief. Tot looked up at Nagi with tears in her eyes, pleading with him to help her bring back her family.

"Schwarz does not need love," Crawford told Nagi but his words burned into Naitsuusha's. _We don't need love anymore. Family, friends, we threw that away when we became Schwarz._ "Kill Tot. Now."

"I-I...can't!" Nagi shook his head, frightened. "I can't!"

"Nagi," Crawford said in his emotionless voice. "Make the right choice."

"I can't!" Nagi screamed at Crawford.

Crawford raised his gun as Nagi watched. Crawford pulled the trigger. The sound of the gun firing was the sound of the mental barriers that kept Nagi sane breaking down. The bullet sped past Kirei, past Kayla, and hit Tot squarely in the chest.

Tot screamed from the shock of the bullet entering her frail body, baby blue hair flowing like the blood down her shirt. She collapsed beside Kirei and Kayla who could only gape at Crawford's cruelty. Tot still cried for her family during her time of death.

" _TOT!"_ Nagi screamed. His powers teleported him over to where Tot was. He caressed Tot's pretty face and spoke to her in his gentlest voice. "I'm sorry. I couldn't stop him. I didn't protect you. I'm so sorry, Tot."

Tot smiled up at him, pain reflecting vibrantly in her teary eyes. "Tot's going to see her family now…it'll be okay, Nagi-kun."

"Tot...I'm so sorry..." Nagi said over and over again, shaking his head. "I promised I'd protect you...but I couldn't...it's my fault."

"Nagi-kun protected me...he didn't want to hurt Tot," whispered Tot tenderly. "Tot doesn't want to hurt Nagi-kun either...Tot loves Nagi-kun...so don't be lonely anymore..." Her head fell back against Nagi's chest as the last breath of the young flower floated away on a river of tears.

"Tot," Nagi sobbed. Nagi pressed her body against him and held onto her for all she was worth. "Tot..."

"Leave him," Crawford ordered Farfarello who was looking at Nagi curiously. "Eszet gave us orders. We have to follow them."

"Brad-nii..." whispered Naitsuusha, reaching for him as the man made the move to leave.

Crawford froze in place. Blue light filled the room. Everyone turned to its source. Kirei and Kayla ran away from Nagi and Tot as quickly as they could. He turned into an unstable nuclear reactor. The house began to blow apart at the explosion of his powers. Jade yanked Yohji to his feet and shielded the grief-stricken man when the ceiling fell in large chunks of rock and wood.

"Falcon, Bombay, stop Schwarz!" Jade ordered the brunettes. Omi and Kayla released arrows from their bows but Crawford dodged all of them. The arrows struck the walls harmlessly.

"My turn." Farfarello snarled, his knives slicing the air towards the four youngest assassins. Kirei caught one in her right arm after attempting to run with Omi.

"Viper!" Omi cried out, horrified to see the long knife enter the arm and come out from the other side.

Kayla turned to Farfarello to get revenge but they had already gone. "We have to get out of here!" she shouted to everyone. She turned back to Kirei. "Don't move! I'm going to take it out!" Kirei blanched at the thought but steeled her resolve. Kayla gripped the handle of Farfarello's knife. Omi held her other hand in reassurance. Kirei let loose a tiny shriek of pain. The blade slid free of her arm without difficulty. They sought a hasty exit, collecting Yohji on their way.

"Raven, why did you let him go?" Jade shouted to Naitsuusha angrily from the other side of the large gap in the room.

 _I can't kill him,_ Naitsuusha replied, still standing there with a lost expression on her face. _I just can't._

Jade swore furiously. The gap between the two teams grew wider. Nagi was collapsing the building on their heads. "Hurry up and jump over!"

Aya and Naitsuusha were rooted at the base of the stairs staring at the spot where Schwarz stood, neither could believe they lost to the enemy. The destruction increased tenfold.

"Raven! Abyssinian!" Ken leapt over the gap after ushering the others towards the exit. Ken pulled Aya away from the torn stairs. The urgency in his teammate restored Aya to his senses. Aya bitterly knew Schwarz already left. Naitsuusha couldn't move, struck harder than the bullet Crawford shot her with the first time. Naitsuusha was like a rock, in worse mental condition than Yohji. Aya carried her away, following his team outside before the entire building exploded in blue light that reached towards heaven.

* * *

Merache called up his last ally. He sat at a bus stop, waiting for her arrival. When Manx appeared in a long white coat, Merache knew she was the most welcomed sight he would ever see in his entire life.

"Merache-san!" Manx was shocked to see the well-dressed man looking so desolate. Merache gave her a weak but relieved smile as he stood up. He was soaked thoroughly from the rain and felt his very soul was frozen.

"Manx-san, I'm glad you came alone," Merache admitted honestly, wiping the water off his face. "I..."

"Have urgent business?" supplied Manx delicately. She noticed his bleeding hands when he raised them to his face. "How about we talk about it over dinner at my place?"

"Dinner would be fantastic," Merache said, laughing heartily despite his condition. The two of them went to find refuge from the cold weather. Manx fussed over Merache when they entered her apartment. The redhead gave him towels to dry himself off in her bathroom. The businessman smiled at the irony of the situation. Persia and Manx had come to him, seeking help and now it was his turn. Merache hung the damp suit jacket in the shower stall and undressed. He briskly dried himself before wringing out his clothes.

When Merache walked out, Manx was on the phone. Merache became suspicious but Manx made no move to hide her conversation from him. She listened to the voice on the other end of the line and nodded along to his words. "I'll meet you at Raven's house."

"Raven's house?" asked Merache in surprise as Manx hung up. "Are we going there now?"

"I thought whatever urgent business you have, it would include Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß," admitted Manx. "They might be of assistance to you."

He definitely needed to speak to Karmesinrot Rache right away before Wolf got to him. "You're very helpful."

"Let's go after you eat," suggested Manx, concerned for the American. "I can make you something really quick."

"Thank you Manx-san," said Merache gratefully. Now when he could relax slightly, his empty stomach plagued him. He was weak from the lack of food and the blood loss from his scarred hands. Manx bandaged them before she went to make Merache dinner. The duo ate in Manx's kitchen, sharing the meal in content silence. Manx left the dishes in her sink. Karmesinrot Rache and Weiß were waiting for them.


	44. Mission 11 (Eyecatch B)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 11 Melodie – Melody (Song of Sorrow)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-11-04

* * *

Failure. It stared at them blatantly in the face. The two assassin teams crowded together in the living room to wait for Manx to arrive. Yohji was the only one missing, sitting by himself on the deck in the rear of the house. Jade tried to shut his mind out but his grief kept breaking through her barriers.

 _She wasn't Asuka_ , Jade thought tiredly beside Naitsuusha. Kirei and Kayla were sandwiched between Omi and Ken on the longest sofa. Aya brooded over the night's events.

Naitsuusha grasped Jade's hand tightly, causing Jade to look at Naitsuusha. _Are you feeling okay?_ Naitsuusha wanted to know. She could tell something was wrong with Jade. Aya was also tense but Naitsuusha didn't want to make a show of appearing to care about him. She didn't know how he would react to her right now.

 _I'll be fine_ , replied Jade, trying futilely to block Yohji out.

 _Asuka, what am I supposed to do?_ Yohji wondered, his thoughts entering Jade's mind. _What am I supposed to do?_

 _She would want you to stop living a lie! Even if she was Asuka in the past, she has no memories of ever being Asuka! How can she be the person you want her to be when she can't remember you..._ Jade answered bitterly but he couldn't hear her thoughts. He was too lost in his own memories. _Why does he want to live a lie so badly?_

"Akikou-san?" Omi also noticed her distracted air.

Jade wanted to snap at him because he was going to ask if she was all right. "Stop worrying over me!"

"But I have to, Akikou-san," said Omi, sounding surprised at Jade for not knowing why they were so concerned over her well-being. "We're friends."

"Friends?" Jade didn't mean to laugh at his words. She felt bad when Omi looked crestfallen. Jade looked up at the ceiling, the memory of the two teams fighting side by side, working together despite their differences nagged her for her insolent behavior. Jade bowed her head in a modest show of shame as she apologized, "I'm sorry, Tsukiyono."

"Don't worry about it." Omi grinned at her. Jade was relieved to see Ken do the same. His eyes held kindness and compassion. Weiß accepted them as their friends and comrades and never looked back at the bad memories. _Teamwork, friendship, trust, compassion and even love. We have all the good traits that make a person better. But why do we keep losing against people like Schwarz? They're_ cold _and_ brutal. _They don't care about anything except for power! And they have so much power! I don't want to sacrifice the people I care about to be like them!_ Jade felt worse, knowing she was holding onto old grudges. Jade forced herself to let them go.

"Jade?" Kayla asked when Jade stood up.

"I have to go outside to breathe." Jade walked out of the room, headed towards Yohji. With each step towards the man, his thoughts seemed to become her own. The walls preventing everyone from entering of her head failed against Schuldig...and now even against Yohji.

 _What's with these people?_ Jade wondered after she stepped on the snow-covered patio.

Yohji seemed to be as frozen as the hard metal chair he sat in. His breath rising as white mist in the air was the only indication he was alive. He sat unblinking as the light snow gathered in his honey colored hair. She didn't know why she was outside but it seemed she had to brave the bitter, hated cold to sit with him.

Both of them sat out there in the snow-covered chairs, resting their bodies as their heavy hearts anchored them in place. Jade wondered how long it was going to take for Yohji's heart to heal over his wounds. _Would it ever heal?_ Jade asked herself. She knew the answer already. Wounds of the heart would never heal. They don't stop hurting and they don't go away. Jade closed her eyes against the cause of Yohji's pain.

 _Why?_ Yohji wondered, his body unmoving. _What am I suppose to do?_ Jade waited for the mentioning of Murase Asuka's name but Yohji didn't call for her. Silence passed in minutes between them before Yohji spoke out again. _Why?_

Then Jade realized Yohji was asking _her_. Jade released her breath in a sigh and replied as honestly as she could. " _Live_."

"I tried to live without her. I can't do it. She's not here," replied Yohji sadly.

"But you are," reminded Jade gently. "I don't know Murase Asuka but your memories of her tell me she will not approve you of wasting your life mourning her."

"I love her! That's why I mourn over her," said Yohji, sounding angry.

Jade looked over, trying to see if his facial expression changed. It was still frozen in a look of sadness, aimed towards the sky. "Can you honestly tell me Asuka doesn't want you to be happy? Does Asuka want you to be sad forever?" Jade asked Yohji. "Tell me exactly what would Asuka say."

Yohji watched the falling snow. "Even God is crying over her death...she died again tonight. I couldn't save her."

"God is _not_ crying!" Jade exclaimed angrily. "God doesn't have anything to do with this! Snow is another form of precipitation like the rain that fell just hours before. Kudou, stop being an idiot and tell me!"

Yohji closed his eyes, sinking into his own thoughts, allowing Jade to see some of his memories that had surfaced since Neu's arrival in his life.

 _"Yohji, get out of bed!" Asuka demanded impatiently. "We'll be late to the meeting with the Yuukis! They've got a case for us!"_

" _Asuka, it's so early," grumbled Yohji tiredly, yawning. Asuka made a face at his morning breath and hurried him towards their bathroom._

" _You've got ten minutes to get ready or I'm taking away breakfast," warned Asuka dangerously before she closed the door._

" _So bossy," mumbled Yohji through a mouthful of toothpaste foam. He knew the Yuukis wouldn't mind a little tardiness. Their case to find their missing daughter would pay for the month's bills. Yohji also hoped that the payment would be able to carry over to his secret engagement ring fund._

 _Another night, they stayed together in their bed, talking about marriage in their future. Asuka poked him in the ribs when Yohji pretended to fall asleep on her._ _"Soon," Yohji replied to Asuka's question, hugging her close. "We've got a lot of time, Asuka."_

" _You might but I don't," retorted Asuka hotly, straddling him around his waist and glaring down at him over her short nose. "I want to get married!"_

" _Your biological clock is ticking..."_

" _Stop it, Yohji!' Asuka couldn't help laughing, failing in her pretending to glare down at him angrily. Asuka shook him. "Marry me!"_

" _I think I'm the one that's suppose to do the proposing, Asuka," laughed Yohji loudly as he pulled Asuka off his body and placed her back on the bed._

" _You're too slow!" Asuka settled down beside him._ _Asuka giggled, murmuring into his ears. "Are you happy to be with me?"_

" _Of course," replied Yohji._

" _What if someone prettier than me steals you away?"_

" _No one is prettier than you," Yohji replied honestly. "We're the perfect couple and we will have gorgeous children together."_

" _Yohji, if something happens to me, will you still love me?" Asuka wanted to know._

" _I don't want to think about that," admitted Yohji. "It's a scary thought."_

" _Does it make you uncomfortable to talk about it?" wondered Asuka. "I don't want to make you feel sad. I want you to be happy even if it's without me."_

" _There's no happiness without you," said Yohji, turning to face his lover. "There's no one else for me."_

The memories ended. Yohji felt naked. His most intimate memories of the woman he loved were a haunting living dream. "It's not as easy as you think."

Jade shook her head slowly, her black and green hair flying in the gusts of wind." I never said it was easy. I just said you have to live your life and accept the pain as a part of love. You're making yourself hurt every single day! You can't be happy if you do that! Asuka doesn't want you to do that! And you know it. Every time you asked Asuka what were you suppose to do, you already knew the answer! If you're denying yourself happiness, you're denying yourself Asuka!"

Asuka would have said the same thing to him but with more force. _Asuka wouldn't have put up with me if she was here._ Yohji swallowed the bitterness of the situation. "I can't believe you're giving me advice on love," Yohji said, looking at Jade.

Jade shrugged, an amused expression on her face. _"_ Just because you think I'm a bitch doesn't mean I don't give good advice."

"I never thou-," Yohji tried but Jade gave him a stern look that effectively silenced his protests.

"I know that you called me a bitch before," Jade said flatly.

Yohji apologized to her. "I will make it up to you."

"There's no need to," Jade replied smoothly. "Believe me. I called you worse."

Yohji laughed without thinking, the joyful noise resounding in the still air. He sobered with a sigh. "It's cold out tonight. You should go inside."

"What about you?" Jade asked him, almost too casually.

"I want to smoke before I go back inside," Yohji admitted, retrieving his cigarettes and lighter from his pants pocket. Yohji stared at the lighter with a look of realization after he lit his cigarette. "This reminds me. You owe me a new pair of sunglasses, a pack of cigarettes, and a lighter!"

"I'll send you a check." Jade smirked at him. She wanted to go inside but the sight of the lit cigarette was a temptation too great. Slowly and gracefully, she leaned over the distance that separated them and took it from his hand.

"Hey!" Yohji was startled, thinking Jade was about to destroy a perfectly good cigarette. The sight of Jade placing it into her own mouth silenced his protests. Yohji watched Jade devour his cigarette contently. "I didn't know you smoke."

"Old habit," admitted Jade shamefully after she pulled it away from her lips. "I quit when I was sixteen."

"Bad girl," reprimanded Yohji as he took out a replacement for his stolen one. They sat there, enjoying the flow of nicotine in their system. "What made you start up again?"

Jade held the cigarette to her face, inspecting it carefully as she weighed her reply in her mind. "...Schuldig," said Jade reluctantly.

"Oh." Yohji blinked. He didn't know what to say to that. "Did he torture you?"

"Farfarello did." Jade turned somber at the thought of Farfarello's knives, needles, and acid. "He did it for three days straight."

Yojhi winced. "But Schuldig didn't?"

"Did you know Schuldig's codename is Mastermind?" Jade looked at Yohji with a strange expression on her face, holding the burning cigarette between her fingers. "He's a telepathist like me."

"Mind games?" Yohji inquired delicately.

Jade tapped the cigarette lightly against the arm of her chair to remove the ashes. "Yeah, you could say that," Jade nodded as she finished the cigarette. "He deserves his codename." She crushed the butt beneath her black boots and buried it underneath the snow. Jade gave Yohji a stern look behind her oval sunglasses. "I would appreciate it if you don't let me smoke again."

"I promise," Yohji promised as he threw away his own despite the fact it wasn't finished. "Let's go inside. You look cold."

"Thanks," Jade said gratefully as Yohji gestured for her to go inside first. The two oldest assassins entered the warm house with a mutual understanding of each other.

They entered the living room. Jade took her old seat next to Naitsuusha with Yohji on the other side. Kirei was rubbing her bandaged right arm gingerly as Omi fussed over it.

"It's fine," she said to him. "It'll heal." They were the only ones speaking in the room.

"I wish you'd let me help you with it. You can't bandage your right arm well by yourself," Omi argued as he tried to pull Kirei's arm to him. "What if the wounds are not clean?"

"Omi-kun, just leave it alone," said Kirei stubbornly, pushing Omi's hands away from her right arm. "I'll be fine!"

Omi retreated from his ministrations and waited with everyone else for the arrival of Manx. The two teams knew this location was compromised. Too many people knew of its existence.

"I don't mean to interrupt this vigil," said Naitsuusha softly to Jade. "But are we leaving after Manx arrives?"

Jade clenched her hands together. "We should. Chimera's waiting for us."

"Where are you being relocated?" Ken wanted to know, turning to Kayla and grasping her hands. "Why can't you tell me?"

"Because," said Kayla but she didn't follow up on her sentence. She only avoided Ken's brown eyes, knowing if she looked at him, she would break down and tell him everything.

Kirei sulked childishly, crossing her arms. "I don't want to leave Tokyo! We still didn't save Aya-san's sister!"

"That's true," said Jade. She looked at her team one by one. "I don't like having unfinished business."

"Schwarz," stated Aya flatly, looking at Jade. "You want to fight Schwarz."

"Yes," replied Jade forcefully. "As do you."

"They have my sister." Aya shifted his gaze to Naitsuusha. "I have Brad Crawford's."

Naitsuusha gave a short, bitter laugh at Aya's words. "Do you really think Brad cares about me to that extent? He just wants to kill me. A trade for sisters won't work, Ran."

Her words sounded strong but Aya could see she was hurt. His trade idea only reminded her of how low her worth was to Crawford. Aya felt ashamed for being so blunt and cruel. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever," said Naitsuusha hollowly, turning from him.

Jade patted Naitsuusha's hand lightly. "I hear a car approaching. It must be Manx." Jade stood up to go open the door for their guests. Kirei went to bring extra chairs from the dining room.

"I think we should stay until after the Kundalini ceremony," said Kayla smartly. "It's the only day for Eszet to perform their ceremony. If we foil their plans, they won't have a need for Aya-chan."

Ken agreed but Omi told them the idea wasn't as simple as they thought. "We don't even know when the ceremony is," said Omi, shaking his head. "We need to know the exact location and date of the ceremony!"

"Eszet won't be announcing it to just anyone," said Yohji, adding his thoughts. "The Kundalini ceremony is the biggest event on their agenda but even Kritiker hasn't been able to find any information about it."

"That's not entirely accurate," said Manx with Merache following. "We know the date."

"When?" Aya wanted to know.

"It's planned for the night of the upcoming new moon," Manx said. "Three nights from now."

"But that's so soon!" Aya was shocked. "Can you tell us where?"

"Birman is still on the case of the location but she should be contacting me once she knows of it."

"Why is Akikou-san glaring at Merache-san?" Omi wanted to know.

Merache smiled pleasantly at Jade and bowed to her. "Yamada Michiko-san, my favorite violin player."

""What are you doing here?"Jade asked rudely.

"Christopher Merache, formerly of Merache Incorporated," he introduced himself to Jade. "I have met with your outstanding team last night and I am relieved to see you have been rescued from your enemies."

Jade was shocked at Merache's words. "How does he know this?" Jade demanded to everyone. "Whatever happened to confidentiality?"

"Merache-san was the one who told us you were kidnapped by Farfarello," explained Kayla calmly. "He's been very helpful since then."

Ken raised his hand slightly to interrupt. "Did you just say 'formerly' of Merache Incorporated?"

Merache nodded sullenly. "It appears that I am now fired."

"But you're the President of the company!" Yohji's eyes were wide. "Isn't that right?"

Merache paused in his reply when he saw Kirei enter the room with two heavy chairs. "Let me help with that," he offered but Kirei shook her head. She placed them side by side near Jade's seat to her great annoyance. "Chimera is God." Merache sat down beside Jade's elbow. "I am merely one of his creations no longer useful."

"What happened to your hands?" Kayla asked him. She smelled old blood and antiseptics, different than the one from Kirei's wound.

Merache raised his bandaged hands to show everyone the white cloth wrapped around his palms. "The handiwork, pardon the pun, of Wolf."

"Wolf?" Jade repeated, her brows coming together in confusion. "I never heard of him."

"You shouldn't have," said Merache smoothly. "Because I haven't either and I work for Chimera's information unit."

"Wolf attacked you?" Kayla wanted to know. "Who sent him?"

"If he was working under the orders of a higher party, I don't know who," replied Merache truthfully. "He attacked me at my mansion a few hours ago after making it a point that I am his prey. I called Manx after I arrived in Tokyo. She brought me here. I am shocked to see this house. I thought my mansion was the only building for miles but it seemed Raven's home is very secretive."

"Chimera did it," said Naitsuusha with a scowl on her face. "I don't like it. He didn't ask me for my permission."

"Chimera's faces never ask for permission," said Merache darkly. "Asking for permission would cause unnecessary interactions. They don't listen to those who work under them. They only listen to Chimera."

"What?" Jade frowned at Merache's words. Merache kept saying "they" and "faces" when she knew Chimera was a single person. "I don't understand your sentence at all. Did you say that in Japanese correctly?"

Merache gave her a confused look. "I'm certain I said it correctly in Japanese. Let me repeat it in English for you," said Merache. Jade's frown only grew on her face. So did those who understood the sentence in both languages.

"We know Chimera. Personally. What are these 'faces' you keep talking about?" asked Jade, feeling a nagging feeling growing in her heart.

Merache gave her a look of shock. "My dear, you don't know of Chimera's faces?"

"Enlighten us," said Jade, gesturing to everyone in the room. "Because I have no clue what you are talking about."

"Panther," hissed Merache, his unease growing. The looks on the faces of Karmesinrot Rache all mirrored one another. They had no clue about how Chimera's organization works! How can they trust something so blindly?! "There is only _one_ Chimera!" Merache exclaimed, knowing the trust had been betrayed.

"We already know that!" said the girls, sounding offended. The look they received from Merache told them they still didn't understand the significance of what was to be revealed.

"No, my daughters. You don't," said Merache, leaning closer to the four. "Not like you think. There is only one Chimera. Chimera is the highest-ranking agent, the brain of the organization. The four faces that rank above me are the private ones. They are the ones who act on Chimera's behalf as his body and voice. I am the fifth face, the public one who acts as the puppet-doll."

"Four private faces," repeated Kirei, confused. "How can that be? We all saw Chimera many times before! He called us on our cell phones and he came to speak with us on many occasions no matter which city we're living in."

"Think carefully," urged Merache. "Think about Chimera. Who was he?"

"A man," said Jade, looking over at the other girls. "Am I right?" The others agreed with the first description.

"With black hair," said Naitsuusha. Jade nodded but Kayla and Kirei shook their heads quickly.

"That's wrong," said Kayla with wide eyes. "Chimera has blonde hair and blue eyes," said Kayla in a dreadful voice.

"No, reddish-brown and hazel eyes," said Kirei in a shocked voice.

"Violet eyes," said Jade, turning to gape at the other girls. "About thirty-something years old."

"Black eyes, very large and muscular man in his forties at least," croaked Naitsuusha, feeling her stomach sink through the floor.

"My dears, has Chimera ever," Merache paused, staring at the four girls, "talked to you in person?"

"Plenty of times!" said Jade. "He came over to our houses each time to drop off a mission and pick them up!"

"Who spoke to him?" Merache pressed on his point. "Did you ever see him together?" Merache asked darkly. Karmesinrot Rache exchanged looks on dread at the realization. "Chimera plays a very large part in deciding the missions but it is his four faces that interact with Karmesinrot Rache. It is a very intricate ploy on their part. I'm surprised they had been able to keep it up for so long."

Weiß couldn't believe what they were hearing. How can Karmesinrot Rache still want to work for Chimera now that this was out in the open?

"Jade, didn't you ever read Chimera's mind?" Naitsuusha asked her. "At least once?"

"Plenty of times! And all his thoughts included you three!" exclaimed Jade.

"People can lie, my dear," said Merache.

Jade scowled at him. "So can you!"

"But you have your proof about the four men whom you thought was Chimera," reminded Merache. "Chimera, the head, is never seen. But Chimera can see all four of you at any time."

"What do you mean by that?" Jade bit off angrily. She didn't really think Merache was to blame for the news but she couldn't take her anger out on anyone else but him. Manx and Weiß had no part in this new development and her friends were in the same sinking ship Jade was on.

Merache inhaled sharply, bringing himself to speak about the subject that brought him here. "Wolf interrupted me at my mansion tonight. I was researching a certain project that the head Chimera funded specifically. It was called," Merache turned to face Kirei, "Project Revolution, which I discovered is a girl named Kakumei Kirei," stated Merache, gazing intently at Kirei. "Does the phrase sound familiar?"

Kirei paled, gripping her right arm with her left hand tightly. She felt everyone's eyes on her. "How do you know about that?"

"Tell us about it," said Merache. "What is Chimera hiding in you?"

"There's nothing inside of me," Kirei denied frantically. "Nothing at all!"

"It places your friends in danger if they don't know," said Merache darkly. "I would prefer you tell us about Project Revolution instead of me."

Kirei shook her head, giving everyone a frightened look. "I can't. Chimera made me promise not to...and I don't want to talk about it."

"What is it, Kirei-san?" Omi asked her, going to hold her hand but Kirei shielded away from him. Kayla wrapped her arms around Kirei and she buried her head in Kayla's shoulder. "What's wrong, Kirei-san?"

"It's nothing to do with anyone but me!" shouted Kirei, looking at the group. "It's nothing!"

"It has to do with everyone!" said Jade loudly. Kirei gave her a wounded look. "Kirei, tell me what's wrong. What did Chimera do?"

"Can't you see how important it is? Chimera lied to us," Naitsuusha said. Everyone gave her a startled look for being the first to admit it, "We need to know everything before we can make a move."

"I believe this organization you're working for is not going to be happy when they see you," said Manx darkly to Karmesinrot Rache. "They won't welcome you back. The secret is out."

"Project Revolution," started Kirei in a timid voice," is me. When I was fifteen, my house burned down in an arson attempt. Chimera rescued me but the doctors who were saving my life couldn't preserve...some parts of my original body. So...I had an experimental procedure done."

"It succeeded, of course," said Omi. "You're still here."

"My right arm and my left eye," said Kirei, turned to her friends, "aren't real. The surgery took the damaged parts and I have replacements made out of advanced machines."

"That's very sci-fi," remarked Ken, staring at Kirei's eyes. "I can't tell the difference at all."

"But your arm was wounded! And you were bleeding!" Omi said in shock.

"The framework is metal, meshed with my body," said Kirei. "The fuel source for the circuits in my body resides here." Kirei pointed to her right shoulder. "Chimera, the one I saw has blonde hair and blue eyes, oversaw everything. He told me that my home was gone and my family died. I stayed with Chimera while recuperating. He renamed me as Kirei Kakumei when he told me he wanted me to stay with him. That's the truth of Project Revolution."

"How does that put us in danger?" asked Jade, glaring at Merache. "It's just an experiment on prosthetic surgery!"

Merache gave them all a stern look. "That's part of Project Revolution. The reconstruction of Ekatarina Polarinova's body," Kirei gasped in fear at Merache revealing her birth name, "and the rebirth of her as Kirei Kakumei is just half the story. The part Viper isn't aware of is the replacement in her eye is an optical camera that transmits what Viper sees to Chimera. Chimera is watching Karmesinrot Rache through Viper's eyes all the time. Even now."

"That's not true!' Kirei shouted angrily, standing up with a flushed face. "Chimera would never do that!" Omi grabbed Kirei's hand and tugged on it gently until she sat back down. He gave the girl a hug and told her to calm down so they could resume speaking.

"The piece of equipment in your eye is named Cyclops." Merache pointed to Kirei's left eye. "The system linking all the equipment supplied by Chimera is called Atlasnet. Chimera knows everything because Chimera is always watching."

"You were already fired! How do you know that Chimera won't be angry at you for telling this to us?" asked Manx anxiously.

"I'm pretty sure Chimera will be angry at me for telling everyone. Serpent, my militia base that was supposed to protect me from Wolf, withdrew from their headquarters on Chimera's orders. Chimera found out I discovered the truth behind Project Revolution. I'm sorry if I endangered all of you as well but you need to know this."

"I agree with Merache-san," said Aya, feeling worry for their allies. They dedicated their lives to their organization and to learn that they were working under a deception was the worse possible thing. "Your informants are lying to you. Now that you know this, you will see if your worth to their organization is still high enough to be left alive."

"Chimera might kill you," said Manx darkly. "To stop the information from leaking out."

Jade gave a short mirthless laugh, catching Naitsuusha's eyes. "We always knew deep inside something was up. But this," she scowled before continuing, "is bigger than we ever thought was possible." She stood. "Tsuu and Kayla, I need to talk to you privately in the other room." Kirei gave Jade a hurt look when the other two girls stood up to go. Jade walked over to her and kneeled in front of Kirei. "I'm sorry for isolating you, Kirei, but don't worry. I'm going to figure something out to save all of us."

"Jade, don't leave me," begged Kirei, gripping Jade's hands tightly and pulling her to stay. "I won't tell anyone."

"I know, Kirei," said Jade, softening after she regarded her friend's pained eyes. "I know you can keep all our secrets but it's possible for Chimera, whoever she or he is, to try to kill us. We need a contingency plan in case that happens and to stop Chimera from using your body as a camera."

"I never wanted to be a mole," said Kirei sorrowfully. "All I wanted was to be able to use my arm and eye again."

"We know you didn't ask for it. It's wrong for Chimera to do that to you without your knowledge," reassured Naitsuusha. "Trust us when we say that. We're going to figure something out to benefit all of us."

"What about us?" wondered Ken as the three girls left the living room to speak in the kitchen. "We cannot stay here."

"Kritiker has safe houses. We can all move there," said Manx quickly. "Merache-san, you should come with Weiß and me tonight." Manx turned to look at Kirei. "Nothing changed between Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache. You still have our trust like you have your friends."

"No," said Kirei, wiping her tears away. "Merache may be able to hide from Wolf but Weiß won't be able to protect him long if he finds him. Karmesinrot Rache will protect him personally."

"It's too dangerous," said Merache. "I appreciate the offer but Wolf is powerful."

"He might be to you but we can handle him," said Kirei confidently. "Karmesinrot Rache will protect you. It's the least we can do after you brought us so much information."

"Do you blame me?" asked Merache sadly.

"No," Kirei snapped, shocked to hear the bitterness in her own voice. "I blame Chimera."

In the other room, Jade discussed their contingency plans with Kayla and Naitsuusha through her telepathy. Kayla worried over what was going to happen to the team.

 _Everything must go_ , said Naitsuusha, gesturing around. _Everything that can be spared should be sold off or stored._

 _We have nowhere to live_ , said Jade with a mental sigh. _We can stay in Kritiker's safe houses until we figure out a new location...far away from Chimera if need be._

 _How are we going to tell Kirei this if Chimera will find out?_ Kayla wanted to know. She felt awful about leaving out of her best friend from this important discussion.

 _I doubt Cyclops and Atlasnet can transmit thoughts_ , said Jade, sensing Kirei's determination to protect Merache. _Right now, she wants to be Merache's bodyguard against Wolf._

 _Are we doing that? For real?_ Naitsuusha was skeptical. _Merache's hunted by a man named Wolf. Don't we have enough problems of our own to deal with?_

 _His problem is our problem_ , said Jade. _I don't like him much but I respect him for bringing us the information about Project Revolution. I would never have thought Chimera was four different people._

 _Contingency plan_ , said Naitsuusha. _I'll take care of it and put it into effect as fast as I can._

 _Kayla, your job is to be company for Kirei and make her as comfortable as possible during our move out of here._ Jade sighed heartily. _Don't tell her about this but make sure she packs everything she will need. I don't like it but we're going to leave her in the dark until we get that camera disabled. I'm going to research it and figure out to cut it from Atlasnet._

 _Jade_ , Kayla said softly after Jade finished. _I'm scared._

 _I know_ , said Jade, perturbed. _But we have to focus. Whatever happens between Chimera and Karmesinrot Rache, we can't trust anyone but each other._

 _And Weiß and Kritiker_ , added Kayla.

Naitsuusha grumbled at the reminder.

 _Old grudges_ , Jade said lightly to comfort her discontent feelings. _It's time to let them go._

 _That's coming from you?_ Naitsuusha shook her head in disbelief.

 _We're settled_ , said Jade. _Everyone knows what to do._

The trio returned to living room. Everyone looked at them expectantly. Jade said to Manx, "We'll follow you to a safe house."

"Do you have your things packed?" Manx asked the assassins. "If not, you have fifteen minutes to get everything together."

Everyone who was still sitting stood up after her declaration. That was when the lights went out after a loud explosion.


	45. Mission 11 (Outro)

Title: Karmesinrot Rache

Mission: 11 Melodie – Melody (Song of Sorrow)

Time: Kapitel, AU

Date: 06-11-04

* * *

Schuldig set the tiny helicopter down beside their two cars. The Kundalini sacrifice had not stirred since her second kidnapping. Farfarello was under strict orders to keep his hands off the girl and he obeyed, knowing Crawford was not in a good mood. Schuldig didn't try to read his leader's mind because his gun was still in his hand. Schuldig knew there was a high chance he might get shot right now.

Schuldig opened the pilot's door and got out first. The brisk air caused him to shiver slightly. Farfarello stepped out with the girl in his arms. Crawford came out last, his cream-colored suit looking gray in the darkness. Crawford stalked off towards their house without a word.

"What about Nagi?" Schuldig asked him. "We left him there!"

"We'll go back for him," said Crawford in a clipped voice to Schuldig's relief. Schuldig hadn't wanted to leave their youngest teammate buried underneath the rubble of Seian but it was Crawford's decision to leave the area before they were caught in the telekinetic storm.

Crawford opened the door to their spacious house and stopped. Schuldig accidentally stepped on his heel but Crawford didn't say anything. "Someone's here," Crawford warned in a low voice. He brought his gun up. Schuldig did the same. Farfarello laid the girl to the side of the door. The three Schwarz assassins crept into their living room. They stopped, shocked at the sight of Nagi unconscious on the longest sofa flanked by two strange men standing beside each end.

"Shoot them," ordered Crawford immediately to Schuldig. They made ready to fire at their intruders.

The largest of the duo shook his head and spoke in his grave voice, "Do you want to repeat the same mistake of shooting Eszet?"

Crawford narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. _How did they know about that? Are they a part of Eszet?_ "Who are you?" Crawford demanded. "How did you get in here?"

The smaller of the two men stood up, his violet eyes shining brightly as he held out his hands, showing Schwarz he was unarmed. Schuldig gasped slightly, recognizing the violet eyed stranger from a mind he read. His tailored clothes were freshly laundered and a hint of musky cologne was his trademark each time he met with Jade. The man was Chimera!

"We've come to make an exchange and a deal with Schwarz," said Manticore as he gestured to Nagi.

"You didn't answer my question," snapped Crawford. Schuldig spoke in Crawford's mind, telling him what he wanted to know. Crawford's mouth formed a thin line. Farfarello grinned broadly after Schuldig revealed the identity of their guests.

"By now, Mastermind has already informed you of who I am. But yes, I am Chimera," said Manticore boldly. He smiled at Schuldig, acknowledging his excellent control over his powers. "But he has not introduced my companion." He gestured to the large man in the black suit. "My bodyguard."

"Does he have a name?" Crawford asked suspiciously.

"No," replied Minotaur. Schuldig's breath escaped in a short laugh of amusement. He pried at the minds of Manticore and his bodyguard in the large black suit. Muscles bulged tensely underneath the fabric when Minotaur sensed Schuldig's mind seeking entry. He slammed down his barricades, preventing Schuldig access.

"A bad move on your part," warned Manticore in an ominous voice after he did the same to foil Schuldig. "We came only to make a deal."

"No deal," replied Crawford as his finger slid onto the smooth metal of the trigger.

"If you kill me, Eszet will not be happy." Manticore met Crawford's eyes with his own. "Eszet and I are business partners. My life ending equals your life ending."

"We're not interested in what you have to offer us," said Schuldig with a smirk.

"Do you speak as the leader?" Minotaur wanted to know. "Eszet has told us Oracle is the leader of Schwarz. We weren't aware the positions changed." Manticore's next words silenced Schuldig's cursing. "You want independence from Eszet." Manticore held Crawford's gaze. "Am I wrong?"

"I want you dead." Crawford gave Manticore a dark look. "Your life is the only thing that you can offer me."

"It's not easy to kill me," Manticore responded with a deadly look in his own eyes. "Do you really think I would walk into your home without having some sort of weaponry?"

"No," Crawford replied coldly. "But I'm willing to take the chance."

"Take a chance on this. You want Raven dead," Manticore said coldly. "I can make it happen."

Schuldig's mouth fell open slightly. "But you're their boss! Why are you doing this?"

"Karmesinrot Rache is alive because they are under my protection," said Manticore. "Make the exchange with me for Prodigy. You'll need him."

"He allowed Tot to live," Crawford spat out. "He chose Schreient over Schwarz."

"Love makes people do foolish things," said Minotaur, leveling a steady look on Crawford's tense face. "Even brilliant people like you will do foolish things for love." Manticore smirked at Crawford when his partner's words rung true. "Isn't that what this is all about?"

"Shut up," Crawford demanded. "That's none of your business."

"It _is_ my business. Raven is mine," replied Manticore, his eyes hardening. "You want her to know despite your cruel words towards her. Let me set the stage for you."

"What do you want?" Crawford asked them.

"Karmesinrot Rache needs to be terminated." Manticore gave Schwarz a hard look. "I want you to do it for me."

"Why?" Crawford asked.

"Their use is over. You will need Prodigy's help. Prodigy's recent show of power will greatly aid your split from Eszet. Without him, you might as well forget all your careful plans." Manticore smiled down at the young telekinetic. "He was right, Oracle. He did find me. I was with Eszet in her suite the night you came bursting in." He looked at Crawford. "You should be proud of him."

Crawford's gaze fell on the battered Nagi. Dirt marks marred the pale face and tears in his navy blue school uniform revealed his skin. "Is he all right?"

"He was tended by the best doctors in our organization. You have my word no drugs entered his system that was not necessary for his speedy recovery," Manticore vowed. He laughed lightly. "The same cannot be said for you. I am aware of how you gained one of Panther's cell phones."

"If you give us Nagi, who do you want from us?" Crawford asked them.

A creepy smile filled Manticore's face. "Fujimiya Aya."

Farfarello's golden eye narrowed in confusion. "What do you want from her?"

"Nothing in particular except for the fact it would put a strain on the performance of the Kundalini ceremony."

"You said Eszet was a business partner," said Schuldig, crossing his arms. "Why do you want to do that?"

"Schwarz wants their independence from Eszet and the best way to do that is to kill Eszet," replied Manticore. Crawford gave him a startled look. "That is your plan, isn't it, Oracle? You intend to break away during the Kundalini ceremony."

"It might be," Crawford said sullenly.

"Japan's Eszet are focused on preserving their powers but the three leaders have gotten so delusional to the point they resorted to such an unconventional ceremony. If you kill them and become free, it leaves a wild card in the form of Fujimiya Aya. You can kill her as well if you wish but that doesn't guarantee Kritiker and Weiß would stop hunting you for revenge. Having to watch your back on the run from Eszet and fight Weiß places unwanted limitations on your freedom. Give Fujimiya Aya to me and I will take away the second risk."

"Weiß is no match against Schwarz," Schuldig scoffed.

"But Schwarz is no match against the organizations of Eszet, Kritiker, _and_ Chimera," retorted Minotaur smartly. "Three _very_ powerful organizations will be after you if you kill Fujimiya Aya."

Crawford gave him a steady, calculating look but no reply.

"You kill Eszet, Weiß, and Karmesinrot Rache with my help. I will help you set your stage so you are in control," Manticore offered. "Their deaths will solve our problems. Giving me Fujimiya Aya prevents Eszet from succeeding in their ceremony in the small chance that it works. If Eszet does revive the Great One, Schwarz will be crushed."

Crawford mulled over the new circumstances of having the men in his living room. They made many valid points. Schuldig failed to read their minds. His plans to break free from Eszet would get receive help, adding a large degree of security in having it work out. And Nagi's immediate return was beneficial. His powers were the strongest of all four of them, judging by his outburst.

"We have a deal," said Crawford. "Here's what I want to do." Crawford launched into a detailed plan.

* * *

The large house burned. Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache escaped to fight outside. There was no stopping the blaze from consuming the wooden home when their attention was focused on the blue and black beast dancing across the roof, shooting blue lightning as he laughed at them.

Naitsuusha pulled the fire off the roof in sheets to disperse in the air but more fire kept forming when the lightning touched the wood. Wolf shouted back at her, repeating her curses while he blasted deep pits in the structure. Omi and Kayla shot arrows at the blue-haired man to distract him. Jade scaled the back wall using the patio deck to get on the roof with Aya close behind her.

Yohji's eyes were on another man who kept vanishing and reappearing too fast to be caught in his wire. None of the assassins could see his features except for a blur of black and purple as he teleported around them. Ken, Yohji, and Kirei protected Manx and Merache while the others fought against Wolf.

"Who are they?" Manx wondered, passing Merache one of her guns. Merache shrugged, knowing they were both working together to end his life.

A whoosh of air brushed past Manx's face. She whirled around but the man had already teleported to another location. Yohji's silver wire formed a web around the area from its use. Yohji knew it was too much to hope for the man would get caught in it but was worth a try.

"Die, you damn bastard!" Jade's angry voice shouted a challenge. Wolf jumped back, tossing lightning without weakening from its use. The metal sword was hot in her hands. Jade grimaced at the touch of the heated metal. Aya suffered from the same problem.

"I don't think so!" Wolf rode a large lightning bolt towards them. It split into two balls and was thrust into Aya's and Jade's bodies to send both flying off the roof. Wolf howled, springing off the weakened roof.

Merache shifted his footing every time he heard a sudden whoosh of moving air. Ken was utterly confused by the man's ability to teleport from place to place. Kirei's fans crackled with electricity, its metal transmitting Wolf's excess energy in the atmosphere.

Wolf landed in front of her with a wide grin. Kirei slashed him. Her blades were blocked quickly by the second attacker. The man crossed his twin daggers to capture her shukusen. His face was empty of expression behind the oval eyeglasses. His purple hair was windswept from his teleportation. The movement sent the shiny black cloth of his outfit flying.

"It's about time, Hawk," Wolf snapped at the leader of their team. Hawk pushed Kirei back and vanished again. Now the path was clear. Wolf summoned a storm of lightning. Jagged energy entered Kirei, throwing her back through the air. Her flight ended when she smashed into a tree trunk. Snow cascaded from the tree branches and buried the stunned girl in a mound of white. A fireball from Naitsuusha caught Wolf in the back and he went flying forward into Yohji's wires. The current from his powers raced through the makeshift conduits of the wires and set the wood on fire.

Jade leapt through the thick web of wires, aiming to pierce the man through while he fought to free his body and clothes from the twisted wires. Before her no dachi could gut the man, Hawk reappeared in front of him and blocked Jade's sword with his daggers. Jade felt his hand grabbing her from behind and tossing her away before she could comprehend Hawk was no longer in front of her.

Aya charged into the battle, bent on protecting the others but Hawk grabbed his katana and vanished with it. Then Ken's bugnucks were torn off his hands by Hawk and lost in the resulting confusion. Wolf shredded the wires using Aya's katana after Hawk handed it to him. With Ken, Kayla, Omi disarmed, and Kirei unconscious, the two hunters were getting more hits in.

"Let me return this to you since it was so helpful," Wolf shouted after he charged the katana full of lightning. Aya went down after receiving a powerful shock from touching the sword. Naitsuusha stood over his unconscious body, her fire forming protective rings around them.

"Tch," Jade growled. She sent Manx running to get the car. Hawk and Wolf let Manx leave; their orders were to kill only Merache. "Stay behind me," she ordered Merache who held his gun tightly. Merache nodded, following Wolf with his eyes.

"It's not going to be enough!" Hawk's flat voice stated. He appeared behind Jade and wrapped his arms around her, dragging her away before he tossed her into the treeline. Wolf tackled Naitsuusha through the fire shield, breaking her concentration. The two moved out of the sight as they fought, tooth and nail, against each other.

"Chimera hopes you'll do a better job in your next life," Hawk whispered behind Merache. Merache fired off three bullets at him but a swish of silver in the night sliced through the hand that held the gun. Merache screamed in pain, cradling the bloody stump against his chest. He staggered back, searching the ground for the gun.

Hawk vanished and reappeared so fast that those who witnessed the murder only saw bloody pieces flying as Hawk hacked Merache into red ribbons.

"Merache!" Jade screamed out in horror. She ran towards Hawk but it was too late.

The gruesome sight was too much for Manx who watched from her car, horrified to the point she could no longer move. Hawk vanished when he executed the last blow and took Wolf with him. Naitsuusha came running from the side, her heart thumping hard against her chest. She skidded to a stop before the blood on the ground. "Did they-?" Naitsuusha stopped speaking, her mouth falling open at the sight the body of Merache.

Jade couldn't answer. She stood over what was left of Christopher Merache. She hadn't like the man but she knew his death was her fault. Karmesinrot Rache promised to protect him. It was another failure for the team.

"Chimera did this." Jade knew. She heard Hawk speak the death message to Merache. "We're not working for Chimera anymore."

Aya stirred on the ground. Yohji appeared next, carrying the snow-covered Kirei, still unconscious, after he dug her out. Omi aided Ken's search for his lost bugnucks. Kayla consoled the distraught Manx.

"We leave here. Now." Jade said grimly. The group agreed except for Naitsuusha whose eyes fell on the second death of the night. "Raven, we're going."

"My house!" Naitsuusha cried bitterly. Her house burned like a grand funeral pyre. It lost the structural supports and now formed a large rough triangle of timber.

"Raven," said Jade again, begging with her. Naitsuusha needed to see how desperate the situation was getting. "Naitsuusha," said Jade softly. "We have to go. C'mon."

Naitsuusha stood there, framed against the dark night. Her home collapsed with a loud boom. The fire grew brighter. Uncontrollable tears leaked from her eyes as her memories of her family were destroyed in the blaze. Her powers couldn't save the house anymore. It was too far gone. Naitsuusha said good-bye to the home that had protected her past from her present. Weiß and Karmesinrot Rache escaped from the scene in their cars, fleeing with the knowledge Merache bestowed upon them. Karmesinrot Rache knew no matter what happened in the future, they would never work for Chimera again.


End file.
